Sex differences in the etiology of psychopathic traits in youth.

Ficks, Courtney A.; Dong, Lu; Waldman, Irwin D.

doi:10.1037/a0036457

Cited by 17 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Similar to Ficks et al [25], our univariate analyses indicated that genetic and shared environmental influences primarily explained the variance in the callous–unemotional dimension, and that a large genetic influence was important for impulsive–need for stimulation. We also found that genetic and shared environmental influences explained the variances in grandiose–deceitful, whereas Ficks et al found that mainly genetic influences were important for narcissism.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

“…As genetic influences on psychopathic personality traits may vary across the ways in which these traits are measured, in terms of both informant and instrument used [69], more research examining the genetic and environmental etiology of these traits in early childhood is warranted. Also, Ficks et al [25] age-corrected their data (age range 4.4–17.8 years), whereas we used a sample of 5-year-old twins.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This has been found among adolescents (e.g., [5, 9, 25, 30, 47, 48, 64, 69, 70]), as well as among adults (e.g., [5, 10, 11, 44]). However, a more mixed pattern has been found across the few studies that have included children (i.e., participants 12 years of age or younger; see Table 1 for a summary).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

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Psychopathic personality traits in 5 year old twins: the importance of genetic and shared environmental influences

Tuvblad

Fanti

Andershed

et al. 2016

Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry

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There is limited research on the genetic and environmental bases of psychopathic personality traits in children. In this study, psychopathic personality traits were assessed in a total of 1189 5-year-old boys and girls drawn from the Preschool Twin Study in Sweden. Psychopathic personality traits were assessed with the Child Problematic Traits Inventory, a teacher-report measure of psychopathic personality traits in children ranging from 3 to 12 years old. Univariate results showed that genetic influences accounted for 57, 25, and 74 % of the variance in the grandiose–deceitful, callous–unemotional, and impulsive–need for stimulation dimensions, while the shared environment accounted for 17, 48 and 9 % (n.s.) in grandiose–deceitful and callous–unemotional, impulsive–need for stimulation dimensions, respectively. No sex differences were found in the genetic and environmental variance components. The non-shared environment accounted for the remaining 26, 27 and 17 % of the variance, respectively. The three dimensions of psychopathic personality were moderately correlated (0.54–0.66) and these correlations were primarily mediated by genetic and shared environmental factors. In contrast to research conducted with adolescent and adult twins, we found that both genetic and shared environmental factors influenced psychopathic personality traits in early childhood. These findings indicate that etiological models of psychopathic personality traits would benefit by taking developmental stages and processes into consideration.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Psychopathic personality traits in 5 year old twins: the importance of genetic and shared environmental influences

Tuvblad

Fanti

Andershed

et al. 2016

Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry

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“…That is, reflecting heterotypic continuity, psychopathic traits in girls may represent a latent construct of broader emotion dysregulation and negative emotionality, consistent with evidence of somatization being more strongly linked to secondary psychopathy in girls than in boys (Lilienfeld & Hess, 2001). Although genetic and environmental influences on psychopathic traits may be comparable in boys and girls (Ficks, Dong, & Waldman, 2014), other putative causal risk factors may be divergent (Krischer & Sevecke, 2008; see Verona & Vitale, 2006 for review). Reduced skin conductance responses were positively associated with the interpersonal facet of psychopathic traits (including narcissism) in boys but not girls during a countdown task (Isen et al, 2010).…”

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confidence: 99%

Psychopathic traits mediate the association of serotonin transporter genotype and child externalizing behavior

Brammer

Jezior

Lee

2016

Aggressive Behavior

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Although the promoter polymorphism of the serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) gene is associated with externalizing behavior, its mediating pathways are unknown. Given their sensitivity to serotonin neurotransmission and unique association with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), we tested callous-unemotional (CU) traits and narcissism as separate mediators of the association of 5-HTTLPR with ADHD and ODD. We evaluated 209 5–9 year-old children with and without ADHD at baseline; approximately two years later (i.e., Wave 2), parents and teachers separately rated ADHD and ODD symptoms and youth self-reported antisocial behavior. Controlling for race-ethnicity and baseline ADHD/ODD, narcissism uniquely mediated predictions of multi-informant rated Wave 2 ADHD and ODD from variation in 5-HTTLPR; CU traits mediated predictions of Wave 2 ADHD from variations in 5-HTTLPR, but did not mediate the associations of 5-HTTLPR with ODD or youth self-reported antisocial behavior. Specifically, the number of 5-HTTLPR long alleles positively predicted CU traits and narcissism; narcissism was positively associated with Wave 2 ADHD and ODD symptoms, whereas CU traits were positively associated with Wave 2 ADHD. Child sex also moderated indirect effects of CU traits and narcissism, such that narcissism mediated predictions of ADHD/ODD in girls but not boys. Psychopathic traits may represent a relevant pathway underlying predictions of prospective change in ADHD and ODD from 5-HTTLPR, particularly in girls. We consider the role of psychopathic traits as a potential intermediate phenotype in genetically-sensitive studies of child psychopathology.

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“…Evidence supports a lower heritability of psychopathic traits [18–20] as well as a greater role of family-related risk factors in girls than in boys [21]. However, according to a recent study by Ficks et al [22], the etiology of psychopathic traits in youth seems to be highly similar for girls and boys.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do seriously offending girls differ from their age- and offence type-matched male counterparts on psychopathic traits or psychopathy-related background variables?

Lindberg

Oshukova

Miettunen

et al. 2016

Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health

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BackgroundMore research is needed to improve our understanding of the manifestation of psychopathic traits in violently offending girls. Our aim here was to assess psychopathic traits and psychopathy-related background variables in a Finnish nationwide consecutive sample of girls charged with violent crimes and referred to a pretrial forensic psychiatric examination. These girls were then compared to their male counterparts.MethodsThe forensic psychiatric examination statements of 15- to 17-year-old juveniles who underwent a pretrial forensic psychiatric examination over a 31-year period (1980–2010) were reviewed. For each non-psychotic girl with a normal IQ (n = 25), an age- and offence type-matched male control was randomly selected. Offence and offender characteristics were collected from the forensic psychiatric examination reports, and a file-based assessment of psychopathic traits was performed using the Hare psychopathy checklist-youth version.ResultsApproximately every third girl exhibited high traits of psychopathy, and no significant difference was observed between the genders. Focusing on the underlying factor and item scores, the girls scored significantly lower than boys on the Antisocial factor. Their interpersonal relationships were significantly more unstable and they significantly more often exhibited a history of child sexual abuse. During the index offence the girls were significantly less frequently intoxicated, and their victims were significantly more often family members or current or ex-intimates but significantly less often strangers.ConclusionsAlthough violently offending girls and boys do not differ on psychopathy total scores, significant gender differences exist on underlying factor and item scores as well as in background- and offence-related variables. Interventions should take into account these special features of violent girls.

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Sex differences in the etiology of psychopathic traits in youth.

Cited by 17 publications

References 32 publications

Psychopathic personality traits in 5 year old twins: the importance of genetic and shared environmental influences

Psychopathic personality traits in 5 year old twins: the importance of genetic and shared environmental influences

Psychopathic traits mediate the association of serotonin transporter genotype and child externalizing behavior

Do seriously offending girls differ from their age- and offence type-matched male counterparts on psychopathic traits or psychopathy-related background variables?

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