Preliminary Data on the Role of Emotional Intelligence in Mediating the Relationship Between Psychopathic Characteristics and Detention Terms of Property Offenders

Abstract

We present preliminary data on the role of emotional intelligence (EI) in mediating the relationship between psychopathy and detention term of authors of property crimes. We assumed that the detention term is an approximation of the severity of criminal behavior. A sample of 24 property offenders were individually administered a brief anamnestic interview, the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R), and the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). Information concerning the detention term was obtained from prison records. A mediation model was applied to the data showing that offenders high in psychopathic traits (i.e., total PPI-R score and Self-centered dimension of PPI-R) have a low level of ability EI and this is in turn negatively associated with the duration of their prison sentence. Results encourage the investigation of ability EI as a protective factor against the antisocial outcomes of psychopathic disorder.

Delinquent behaviour and emotional intelligence among inmates of juvenile homes in Kerala, India

“…Low emotional intelligence was found in adolescents and adult offenders. 13,[27][28] The findings of the present study also demonstrated a negative association between delinquent behaviour and emotional intelligence. Delinquent behaviour is found to be high among inmates of Juvenile Homes.…”

“…[4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Studies demonstrated an association between emotional intelligence with delinquent behaviours, aggression, and callous-unemotional traits. [11][12][13][14][15][16] A clinic-based study among 114 boys reported that children with conduct problems performed poorly in emotion recognition tasks. The study demonstrated a negative correlation between conduct problems and recognising emotions such as anger, fear, and sadness.…”

The Relationship Between the Three Models of Emotional Intelligence and Psychopathy: A Systematic Review

“…The results showed a negative correlation between EI and psychopathy ( r = −0.30, p < 0.05) and they found that subscales of EI are negatively correlated with the subscales of psychopathy and antisociability. Curci et al ( 92 ) found a negative correlation between MSCEIT scores with total PPI-R ( r = −0.56, p < 0.01) and the self-centered dimension of PPI-R ( r = −0.21, p < 0.05). Jauk et al ( 93 ), using the DTDD psychopathy scale, found a significant negative correlation between psychopathy and EI ( r = −0.20, p < 0.05), but only in women.…”

“…Secondly, Curci et al ( 92 ) used a sample of 26 male inmates. They found a negative correlation between the total MSCEIT scores and both the total PPI-R scores and the self-centered dimension of the PPI-R.…”

Preliminary Data on the Role of Emotional Intelligence in Moderating the Link between Psychopathy and Aggression in a Nonforensic Sample

“…These results also provided evidence about the role that the emotional dimension plays in moderating the link between psychopathy and aggression, underlying that this link is more complex than a direct bivariate relationship also in a nonforensic sample, but instead involves individual ability to understand, manage, and regulate emotional threats and distress (22,38). Furthermore, our findings showed that it is the impulsivity facet of psychopathy-as assessed by the SCI factor of the PPI-R-that played the stronger role in these moderated relationships.…”