Examining latent profiles of psychopathy in a mixed-gender sample of juvenile detainees
Abstract
There is growing support for the disaggregation of psychopathy into primary and secondary variants. The present study used latent profile analysis to distinguish psychopathic variants in a sample of male and female adolescent detainees (N = 162). Youth were classified by their scores on the self-report Triarchic Psychopathy Measure, indexing trait Boldness, Meanness, and Disinhibition, as well as measures of anxiety and guilt. Four groups were found, two of which were nonpsychopathic. Consistent with theory, however, two distinct classes of youth scoring high on psychopathic traits were identified: a primary variant with below-average levels of anxiety and guilt and a secondary variant with markedly above-average levels. Youth in the latter category also presented with the highest levels of psychopathology within the detainee sample. The ratio of males to females was 2:1 within the low-anxious psychopathy variant, and it was 1:2 in the high-anxious psychopathy variant. Implications for identification and treatment of adolescent psychopathic variants are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a cross-sectional, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause. Reported size: 162 participants or records.
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