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Verbal ability and delinquency: testing the moderating role of psychopathic traits.
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2008 Apr; 49(4):414-21.JC

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Impaired verbal abilities are one of the most consistent risk factors for serious antisocial and delinquent behavior. However, individuals with psychopathic traits often show serious antisocial behavior, despite showing no impairment in their verbal abilities. Thus, the aim of the current study was to examine whether psychopathy moderates the relationship between verbal abilities and delinquent behavior in a sample of detained youth.

METHODS

The sample included 100 detained adolescent boys who were assessed on self-reported delinquent acts and psychopathic traits, as well as their age at first offense based on official records. Participants also completed a competitive computer task involving two levels of provocation, during which skin conductance was measured. A standard measure of receptive vocabulary was individually administered.

RESULTS

As predicted, there was a significant interaction between callous-unemotional (CU) traits (a critical dimension of psychopathy) and verbal ability when predicting violent delinquency. Individuals who were high on CU traits with higher scores on the measure of verbal abilities reported the greatest violent delinquency. These individuals also showed the lowest level of skin conductance reactivity during the provocation task.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest CU traits are an important moderator of the relation between verbal abilities and violent delinquency.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Muñoz LC
Orebro University, Orebro, Sweden. LMunoz@uclan.ac.uk
Frick PJ
No affiliation info available
Kimonis ER
No affiliation info available
Aucoin KJ
No affiliation info available

MeSH

AdolescentAggressionAntisocial Personality DisorderAptitudeArousalCross-Sectional StudiesEmpathyGalvanic Skin ResponseHumansJuvenile DelinquencyLanguage Development DisordersMalePersonal Construct TheoryPersonality AssessmentPersonality InventoryPrisonersRisk FactorsStatistics as TopicUnited StatesViolenceVocabulary

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

18081757

Citation

Muñoz, Luna C., et al. "Verbal Ability and Delinquency: Testing the Moderating Role of Psychopathic Traits." Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, vol. 49, no. 4, 2008, pp. 414-21.
Muñoz LC, Frick PJ, Kimonis ER, et al. Verbal ability and delinquency: testing the moderating role of psychopathic traits. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2008;49(4):414-21.
Muñoz, L. C., Frick, P. J., Kimonis, E. R., & Aucoin, K. J. (2008). Verbal ability and delinquency: testing the moderating role of psychopathic traits. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 49(4), 414-21.
Muñoz LC, et al. Verbal Ability and Delinquency: Testing the Moderating Role of Psychopathic Traits. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2008;49(4):414-21. PubMed PMID: 18081757.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Verbal ability and delinquency: testing the moderating role of psychopathic traits. AU - Muñoz,Luna C, AU - Frick,Paul J, AU - Kimonis,Eva R, AU - Aucoin,Katherine J, Y1 - 2007/12/11/ PY - 2007/12/18/pubmed PY - 2008/4/15/medline PY - 2007/12/18/entrez SP - 414 EP - 21 JF - Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines JO - J Child Psychol Psychiatry VL - 49 IS - 4 N2 - BACKGROUND: Impaired verbal abilities are one of the most consistent risk factors for serious antisocial and delinquent behavior. However, individuals with psychopathic traits often show serious antisocial behavior, despite showing no impairment in their verbal abilities. Thus, the aim of the current study was to examine whether psychopathy moderates the relationship between verbal abilities and delinquent behavior in a sample of detained youth. METHODS: The sample included 100 detained adolescent boys who were assessed on self-reported delinquent acts and psychopathic traits, as well as their age at first offense based on official records. Participants also completed a competitive computer task involving two levels of provocation, during which skin conductance was measured. A standard measure of receptive vocabulary was individually administered. RESULTS: As predicted, there was a significant interaction between callous-unemotional (CU) traits (a critical dimension of psychopathy) and verbal ability when predicting violent delinquency. Individuals who were high on CU traits with higher scores on the measure of verbal abilities reported the greatest violent delinquency. These individuals also showed the lowest level of skin conductance reactivity during the provocation task. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest CU traits are an important moderator of the relation between verbal abilities and violent delinquency. SN - 1469-7610 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/18081757/Verbal_ability_and_delinquency:_testing_the_moderating_role_of_psychopathic_traits_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -