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Relation between parenting stress and psychopathic traits among children
Paula J Fite1, Leilani Greening, Laura Stoppelbein
1Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Universityof Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA.
Behavioral Sciences & the Law
|March 18, 2008
Summary
Parenting stress, particularly attachment difficulties, is linked to psychopathic traits like narcissism and callous/unemotional traits in children. These findings may inform treatments for childhood behavior problems.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Psychopathic traits in children are a significant concern.
- Understanding correlates of these traits is crucial for intervention.
- Parenting stress is a potential contributing factor.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine parenting stress as a correlate of child psychopathic traits.
- To investigate the relationship between specific parenting stress dimensions and traits like narcissism, callous/unemotional traits, and impulsivity.
- To control for the influence of aggressive behavior in these associations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a sample of 212 school-aged children (6-12 years) admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit.
- Parents completed standardized measures: Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) for aggression, Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD) for psychopathic traits, and Parenting Stress Index (PSI).
- Performed multiple regression analyses to assess relationships while controlling for aggression.
Main Results:
- High levels of the PSI dimension 'attachment difficulties' were associated with higher narcissism and callous/unemotional traits in children, even after controlling for aggression.
- The PSI dimension 'role restriction' showed a negative relationship with narcissism.
- Aggressive behavior did not fully account for the observed links between parenting stress and psychopathic traits.
Conclusions:
- Specific dimensions of parenting stress, such as attachment difficulties and role restriction, are significantly related to psychopathic traits in children.
- These findings highlight the importance of considering the parent-child relationship and parental stress in the context of childhood psychopathy.
- The results suggest potential targets for therapeutic interventions aimed at reducing parenting stress to mitigate child psychopathic traits and behavioral issues.
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