Influence of Child Abuse and Neglect on Psychopathy

Psychopathy is the confluence of antagonism toward others (meanness), fearless social dominance (boldness), and difficulty controlling impulses (disinhibition) and is at the root of many social woes. One factor associated with high levels of psychopathy in adulthood is a history of abuse and neglect in childhood. Although there are several studies on this topic, there is little research on the relative association of child abuse and neglect with psychopathy as measured using contemporary assessment instruments (i.e., incorporating indicators of meanness, boldness, and disinhibition). In this study, we address this issue by examining the influence of child abuse and neglect on a composite measurement of psychopathy in two samples (453 college students and 399 women and men recruited online) using a partial least squares approach to structural equation modeling. Results suggest that across both samples, childhood physical neglect is the strongest predictor of psychopathy in adulthood. However, the influence of other forms of abuse/neglect differs depending on both the sample and gender. These findings shed light on the developmental antecedents of psychopathy and have implications for future study and clinical intervention with people with high levels of psychopathy.