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Journal of Interpersonal Violence Apr 2021Depression has been linked to multiple forms of aggressive behavior in college students; however, it is unclear which aspects of depression explain this connection....
Depression has been linked to multiple forms of aggressive behavior in college students; however, it is unclear which aspects of depression explain this connection. Anhedonia, defined as the loss of interest and/or pleasure in previously enjoyed activities, may provide unique information about relationships between depression and aggression. Using cross-sectional data from two independent samples of college students ( = 747 and = 736 for Study 1 and Study 2, respectively), we examined whether anhedonia helped explain the relationship between broader depressive symptoms and different forms of aggressive and antisocial behavior. Anhedonia accounted for variance in both self-directed aggression and antisocial behavior independent of gender, hostility, anger, other depressive symptoms, and cognitive distortions (Study 2). In addition, there were significant indirect effects of depressive symptoms on self-directed aggression (Studies 1 and 2) and antisocial behavior (Study 2) via anhedonia. Hypotheses involving other-directed aggression received mixed support, with anhedonia atemporally associated with other-directed aggression independent of broader depressive symptoms in Study 1, but not in Study 2. The current findings suggest that anhedonia is an important individual difference that helps explain the relationship between depression and aggressive and antisocial acts and that anhedonia may be differentially associated with various types of aggressive and antisocial behavior.
Topics: Aggression; Anhedonia; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Humans
PubMed: 29768994
DOI: 10.1177/0886260518770646 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Feb 2023Antisocial behaviours such as disobedience, lying, stealing, destruction of property, and aggression towards others are common to multiple disorders of childhood and... (Review)
Review
Antisocial behaviours such as disobedience, lying, stealing, destruction of property, and aggression towards others are common to multiple disorders of childhood and adulthood, including conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, psychopathy, and antisocial personality disorder. These disorders have a significant negative impact for individuals and for society, but whether they represent clinically different phenomena, or simply different approaches to diagnosing the same underlying psychopathology is highly debated. Computational psychiatry, with its dual focus on identifying different classes of disorder and health (data-driven) and latent cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms (theory-driven), is well placed to address these questions. The elucidation of mechanisms that might characterise latent processes across different disorders of antisocial behaviour can also provide important advances. In this review, we critically discuss the contribution of computational research to our understanding of various antisocial behaviour disorders, and highlight suggestions for how computational psychiatry can address important clinical and scientific questions about these disorders in the future.
Topics: Humans; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Conduct Disorder; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders; Aggression; Psychiatry
PubMed: 36535376
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104995 -
Current Opinion in Psychiatry Sep 2021The aim of this study was to review the recent literature on contemporary psychological perspectives of personality disorders, including novel psychotherapeutic... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
The aim of this study was to review the recent literature on contemporary psychological perspectives of personality disorders, including novel psychotherapeutic interventions aimed at these vulnerable individuals.
RECENT FINDINGS
Among the various psychological theories and models of personality disorders, still the most popular and researched are psychodynamic, cognitive and interpersonal perspectives. More specifically, object relations theory, cognitive schema conceptualization and interpersonal circumplex model have produced the most empirical investigations of personality disorders in recent years. Latest work has suggested that all three perspectives have contributed to and are compatible with the dimensional personality disorders framework in DSM-5-AMPD and ICD-11 (including level of personality functioning and personality traits). These models have yielded specific psychological treatments of personality disorders; although most psychotherapies have been constructed for patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD), there is an increasing number of treatment modalities aimed at individuals with other forms of personality disorder, such as those with narcissistic or antisocial traits/disorders. More research into their effectiveness and long-term benefits is necessary.
SUMMARY
Novel research keeps updating our knowledge on the cause, manifestations and psychological treatments of personality disorders, particularly from psychodynamic, cognitive and interpersonal perspectives.
Topics: Antisocial Personality Disorder; Borderline Personality Disorder; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Humans; Narcissism; Personality Disorders; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
PubMed: 34292181
DOI: 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000732 -
Journal of Prevention & Intervention in... 2021This review analyzes the bioecological model of human development as a comprehensive framework of adolescent antisocial behavior. Variables such as family and peers with... (Review)
Review
This review analyzes the bioecological model of human development as a comprehensive framework of adolescent antisocial behavior. Variables such as family and peers with antisocial backgrounds, antisocial peer attitudes, alcohol consumption, offensive behavior, education level, perception of safety in the community, and attention deficit hyperactive disorder, are discussed. This review supports the bioecological model as a plausible framework for understanding antisocial behavior during adolescence.
Topics: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Criminals; Humans; Juvenile Delinquency; Peer Group
PubMed: 31608814
DOI: 10.1080/10852352.2019.1664712 -
Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience Sep 2019The main goal of this review is to consider the main forms of dysfunctional neurocognition seen in individuals with clinically significant psychopathic traits (ie,... (Review)
Review
The main goal of this review is to consider the main forms of dysfunctional neurocognition seen in individuals with clinically significant psychopathic traits (ie, reduced guilt/empathy and increased impulsive/antisocial behavior). A secondary goal is to examine the extent to which these forms of dysfunction are seen in both adults with psychopathic traits and adolescents with clinically significant antisocial behavior that may also involve callous-unemotional traits (reduced guilt/empathy). The two main forms of neurocognition considered are emotional responding (to distress/pain cues and emotional stimuli more generally) and reward-related processing. Highly related forms of neurocognition, the response to drug cues and moral judgments, are also discussed. It is concluded that dysfunction in emotional responsiveness and moral judgments confers risk for aggression across adolescence and into adulthood. However, reduced reward-related processing, including to drug cues, is only consistently found in adolescents with clinically significant antisocial behavior, not adults with psychopathy. .
Topics: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; Adult; Aggression; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Humans; Neurocognitive Disorders; Young Adult
PubMed: 31749653
DOI: 10.31887/DCNS.2019.21.3/rblair -
Neuropsychology May 2021Antisocial behavior (aggression, rule breaking) is associated with lower intelligence and executive function deficits. Research has not clarified whether these...
OBJECTIVE
Antisocial behavior (aggression, rule breaking) is associated with lower intelligence and executive function deficits. Research has not clarified whether these associations differ with the presence of callous-unemotional (CU) traits, particularly within levels of antisocial behavior observed in the community.
METHOD
We examined whether antisocial behavior and CU traits were differentially associated with intelligence and executive function metrics in 474 adolescent twins (Mean age = 14.18; SD = 2.20) sampled from birth records to represent youth in the community living in neighborhoods with above average levels of poverty. Intelligence was assessed using standardized scores from the Shipley-2. Executive function was assessed using Go/No-Go and Stop Signal tasks.
RESULTS
Neither antisocial behavior, nor CU traits alone, were associated with cognitive functioning when accounting for demographic factors. However, antisocial behavior and CU traits interacted to predict reaction time variability. At low levels of CU traits, antisocial behavior was associated with higher reaction time variability (traditionally thought to reflect worse sustained attention). At high levels of CU traits, antisocial behavior was associated with lower reaction time variability (thought to reflect better sustained attention).
CONCLUSION
Elevated antisocial behavior and CU traits may be characterized by a distinct neurocognitive profile compared to elevated antisocial behavior in isolation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Adolescent; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Attention; Child; Cognition; Emotions; Executive Function; Female; Humans; Intelligence; Male; Neuropsychological Tests; Poverty; Reaction Time
PubMed: 34043388
DOI: 10.1037/neu0000733 -
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Feb 2021Several studies found that psychopathy is an important predictor of criminal behavior in general and of intimate partner violence in particular. However, these...
Several studies found that psychopathy is an important predictor of criminal behavior in general and of intimate partner violence in particular. However, these conclusions are often based on scales with less well-established validity, and some inconsistent results have emerged with regard to the contribution of specific psychopathic facets to intimate partner violence. In a sample of 152 batterers from Portugal aged between 22 and 70 years old, we examined whether Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) total scores and the four facets (scored based on a semistructured interview and on file information) predicted the frequency of intimate partner violence. Two separate linear regression analyses were conducted controlling for criminal variables. PCL-R total scores positively predicted intimate partner violence frequency, above and beyond the criminal variables. As for the four facets, only the PCL-R affective facet held a significant effect in predicting intimate partner violence frequency after controlling for criminal variables. These results support the inclusion of psychopathy in risk assessments and treatment of perpetrators of intimate partner violence, particularly with regard to the affective deficits of the construct.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Criminals; Humans; Intimate Partner Violence; Middle Aged; Portugal; Violence; Young Adult
PubMed: 29366397
DOI: 10.1177/0886260518754870 -
Development and Psychopathology Feb 2021Twenty-six percent of children experience a traumatic event by the age of 4. Negative events during childhood have deleterious correlates later in life, including...
Twenty-six percent of children experience a traumatic event by the age of 4. Negative events during childhood have deleterious correlates later in life, including antisocial behavior. However, the mechanisms that play into this relation are unclear. We explored deficits in neurocognitive functioning, specifically problems in passive avoidance, a construct with elements of inhibitory control and learning as a potential acquired mediator for the pathway between cumulative early childhood adversity from birth to age 7 and later antisocial behavior through age 18, using prospective longitudinal data from 585 participants. Path analyses showed that cumulative early childhood adversity predicted impaired passive avoidance during adolescence and increased antisocial behavior during late adolescence. Furthermore, poor neurocognition, namely, passive avoidance, predicted later antisocial behavior and significantly mediated the relation between cumulative early childhood adversity and later antisocial behavior. This research has implications for understanding the development of later antisocial behavior and points to a potential target for neurocognitive intervention within the pathway from cumulative early childhood adversity to later antisocial behavior.
Topics: Adolescent; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Child; Child, Preschool; Humans; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 32200772
DOI: 10.1017/S0954579419001809 -
Handbook of Clinical Neurology 2020As many as 10.7% of males and 7.5% of females display early-onset, stable, antisocial and aggressive behavior (ESAAB). Most research has focused on males. These... (Review)
Review
As many as 10.7% of males and 7.5% of females display early-onset, stable, antisocial and aggressive behavior (ESAAB). Most research has focused on males. These individuals are diagnosed with conduct disorder in childhood and antisocial personality disorder in adulthood, and a very few, almost all males, present the syndrome of psychopathy. ESAAB includes three subgroups: (1) conduct problems and callousness; (2) conduct problems, callousness, and anxiety; and (3) conduct problems. Heritability of the first two subtypes is high. This high heritability derives, at least in part, from genes involved in regulating serotonergic functioning early in life and to genotypes that confer sensitivity to trauma. The first subtype is rare and characterized by difficulty in face emotion recognition, especially fear and sadness, and hypoarousal as indexed by both autonomic and neural measures, and by structural brain abnormalities. By contrast, those with conduct problems, callousness, and anxiety are more common. They include a greater proportion of females and show hypersensitivity to threat that triggers reactive aggression and that is reflected in both autonomic and neural functioning. In sum, fewer females than males present ESAAB, but many characteristics, autonomic and neural correlates, and etiology are similar. Importantly, however, females with ESAAB play a critical role in the intergenerational transfer of antisocial behavior. Despite higher prevalence of EASSB in males than females, few sex differences in neural abnormalities have been identified.
Topics: Adult; Aggression; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Anxiety; Conduct Disorder; Female; Humans; Male; Sex Characteristics
PubMed: 33008540
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-64123-6.00027-8 -
International Journal of Offender... Nov 2022The role of parental antisocial behavior in the development of adolescent psychopathology is well established in the literature. However, less is known about the role of...
The role of parental antisocial behavior in the development of adolescent psychopathology is well established in the literature. However, less is known about the role of parental psychopathic traits in offspring psychopathology. Adolescents (N = 210; boys = 107) and their parents participated in a study measuring parental antisocial behavior, psychopathic traits (i.e., callous-unemotional traits, impulsive-irresponsibility, and grandiosity), and adolescent psychopathology, including depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and conduct disorder (CD). Results from the structural equation model suggested that maternal antisocial acts, but not anger propensity, positively predicted adolescent CD, ODD, and depressive symptoms. Paternal anger propensity mainly predicted internalizing problems, whereas paternal impulsive-irresponsibility predicted anxiety and ADHD symptoms. In addition, findings pointed to several indirect effects from maternal and paternal psychopathic traits to adolescent psychopathology, with the strongest one being between maternal impulsive-irresponsibility to maternal antisocial acts to adolescent ODD. The findings suggest that parental antisocial behaviors and psychopathic traits, and especially impulsive-irresponsibility, should be considered in interventions aiming to reduce adolescent psychopathology.
Topics: Adolescent; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders; Conduct Disorder; Humans; Male; Parents
PubMed: 33949245
DOI: 10.1177/0306624X211013517