Abstract
Atypical eletrodermal and cardiovascular response patterns in psychopathic individuals are thought to be biological indicators
of fearless and disinhibition. This study investigated the relationship between psychopathic traits and these autonomic response
patterns using a countdown task in 843 children (aged 9–10 years). Heart rate (HR) and non-specific skin conductance responses
(NS-SCRs) were recorded while participants anticipated and reacted to 105 dB signaled or un-signaled white-noise bursts. Using
multilevel regression models, both larger HR acceleration and fewer NS-SCR were found to be significantly associated with
psychopathic traits during anticipation of signaled white-noise bursts. However, two divergent patterns appeared for HR and
SCR: (1) larger HR acceleration was specific to the callousness-disinhibition factor of psychopathic traits while reduced
NS-SCR was only associated with the manipulative-deceitfulness factor; (2) the negative association between the manipulative-deceitfulness
factor and NS-SCR was only found in boys but not in girls. These findings replicated what has been found in psychopathic adults,
suggesting that autonomic deficits present in children at risk may predispose them to later psychopathy. The divergent findings
across psychopathic facets and sexes raised the possibility of different etiologies underlying psychopathy, which may in turn
suggest multiple treatment strategies for boys and girls.
of fearless and disinhibition. This study investigated the relationship between psychopathic traits and these autonomic response
patterns using a countdown task in 843 children (aged 9–10 years). Heart rate (HR) and non-specific skin conductance responses
(NS-SCRs) were recorded while participants anticipated and reacted to 105 dB signaled or un-signaled white-noise bursts. Using
multilevel regression models, both larger HR acceleration and fewer NS-SCR were found to be significantly associated with
psychopathic traits during anticipation of signaled white-noise bursts. However, two divergent patterns appeared for HR and
SCR: (1) larger HR acceleration was specific to the callousness-disinhibition factor of psychopathic traits while reduced
NS-SCR was only associated with the manipulative-deceitfulness factor; (2) the negative association between the manipulative-deceitfulness
factor and NS-SCR was only found in boys but not in girls. These findings replicated what has been found in psychopathic adults,
suggesting that autonomic deficits present in children at risk may predispose them to later psychopathy. The divergent findings
across psychopathic facets and sexes raised the possibility of different etiologies underlying psychopathy, which may in turn
suggest multiple treatment strategies for boys and girls.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-11
- DOI 10.1007/s10802-011-9606-3
- Authors
- Pan Wang, Department of Psychology (SGM 501), University of Southern California, 3620 S. McClintock Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1061, USA
- Laura A. Baker, Department of Psychology (SGM 501), University of Southern California, 3620 S. McClintock Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1061, USA
- Yu Gao, Department of Psychology, Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, Brooklyn, USA
- Adrian Raine, Departments of Criminology, Psychiatry, and Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
- Dora Isabel Lozano, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico
- Journal Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2835
- Print ISSN 0091-0627