A developmental psychopathology perspective on psychopathic traits in girls : the role of maltreatment, maternal responsiveness and emotional functioning.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rochester. Department of Clinical and Social Psychology, 2015.Psychopathic traits show well-documented associations with maltreatment (e.g., Lang, Klintegerg, & Alm, 2002; Weiler & Widom, 1996). However, the majority of research in this area has been based on adult male offenders, with less attention to female, youth or community samples. This dissertation sought to extend past work by examining the association between psychopathic traits and maltreatment among pre-adolescent girls from low-income, urban environments. This work aimed to determine whether the relationship between maltreatment and psychopathic traits would be moderated by maternal responsiveness, and whether emotional functioning could account for any observed associations. Finally, this study aimed to determine whether psychopathic traits would be related to externalizing or internalizing symptoms among this group. Seventy-three girls (M = 10.74, SD = 0.93) and their mothers completed a variety of self-report measures, interviews, and behavioral tasks. Maltreatment data was obtained from official records as well as interviews with mothers. Results provided limited support for the hypothesis that maltreatment and psychopathic traits would be related. Additionally, maternal responsiveness did not moderate the relationship between maltreatment and psychopathic traits. Importantly, different facets of psychopathic traits were related to different constructs. Affective/callous-unemotional traits were linked to lower empathy and lower anxiety. Higher interpersonal/narcissism traits were related to higher self-reported experience of negative affect, lower expression of anger, worry and sadness in a coded behavioral task after experiencing a disappointing event (when in the presence of another person), yet greater expression of anger when left by themselves. Finally, behavioral/impulsivity traits were associated with greater expression of worry/distress in the behavioral task, and higher levels of anxiety and depression. These preliminary findings require replication. Yet the results provide evidence that different facets of psychopathic traits are associated with distinct mental health correlates among pre-adolescent girls. Future studies should further investigate the developmental progression of these relationships to more clearly identify appropriate intervention points. These findings may help to inform clinical practice with young girls in high-risk communities