Addressing the Complex Links between Psychopathy and Childhood Maltreatment, Emotion Regulation, and Aggression—A Network Analysis in Adults
Childhood maltreatment is the strongest predictor of psychopathology and personality disorders across the lifespan and is strongly associated with a variety of psychological problems, namely, mood and anxiety disorders, behavioral and personality disorders, substance abuse, aggression, and self-harm...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/2/115 |
| _version_ | 1797298909976985600 |
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| author | Diana Moreira Candy Silva Patrícia Moreira Tiago Miguel Pinto Raquel Costa Diogo Lamela Inês Jongenelen Rita Pasion |
| author_facet | Diana Moreira Candy Silva Patrícia Moreira Tiago Miguel Pinto Raquel Costa Diogo Lamela Inês Jongenelen Rita Pasion |
| author_sort | Diana Moreira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Childhood maltreatment is the strongest predictor of psychopathology and personality disorders across the lifespan and is strongly associated with a variety of psychological problems, namely, mood and anxiety disorders, behavioral and personality disorders, substance abuse, aggression, and self-harm. In this study, we aim to provide a comprehensive picture of the interplay between different traits of psychopathy and distinct dimensions of childhood maltreatment, emotion regulation, and aggression. Using a cross-sectional design, we employed correlational network analysis to explore the nomological network of psychopathy and provide a sample-based estimate of the population parameters reflecting the direction, strength, and patterns of relationships between variables. The sample consisted of 846 adults (71% females) who completed questionnaires measuring psychopathy, childhood maltreatment, emotion regulation, and aggression. The results highlight that disinhibition traits of psychopathy are the closest attributes of early experiences of abuse (but not neglect) in childhood and correlate with all dimensions of emotion regulation difficulties, being specifically associated with reactive aggression. Neglect was a unique attribute in the nomological network of meanness, with widespread correlations with emotion regulation difficulties but also an increased ability to engage in goal-directed behavior. Physical abuse was the only dimension of childhood adversity that was found to be intercorrelated with boldness and increased emotional regulation was found in this psychopathic trait. No significant associations were found between boldness, meanness, and aggression once shared variance with disinhibition was controlled. These results are discussed in terms of their implication for research and clinical practice. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:41:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b8e1d55fc2844ad6b608dfc678a7b1d9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:41:58Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-b8e1d55fc2844ad6b608dfc678a7b1d92024-02-23T15:07:44ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2024-02-0114211510.3390/bs14020115Addressing the Complex Links between Psychopathy and Childhood Maltreatment, Emotion Regulation, and Aggression—A Network Analysis in AdultsDiana Moreira0Candy Silva1Patrícia Moreira2Tiago Miguel Pinto3Raquel Costa4Diogo Lamela5Inês Jongenelen6Rita Pasion7Centro Regional de Braga, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, 4710-362 Braga, PortugalCentro Regional de Braga, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, 4710-362 Braga, PortugalCentro Regional de Braga, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, 4710-362 Braga, PortugalHEI-Lab—Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, 4000-098 Lisbon, PortugalHEI-Lab—Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, 4000-098 Lisbon, PortugalHEI-Lab—Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, 4000-098 Lisbon, PortugalHEI-Lab—Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, 4000-098 Lisbon, PortugalHEI-Lab—Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, 4000-098 Lisbon, PortugalChildhood maltreatment is the strongest predictor of psychopathology and personality disorders across the lifespan and is strongly associated with a variety of psychological problems, namely, mood and anxiety disorders, behavioral and personality disorders, substance abuse, aggression, and self-harm. In this study, we aim to provide a comprehensive picture of the interplay between different traits of psychopathy and distinct dimensions of childhood maltreatment, emotion regulation, and aggression. Using a cross-sectional design, we employed correlational network analysis to explore the nomological network of psychopathy and provide a sample-based estimate of the population parameters reflecting the direction, strength, and patterns of relationships between variables. The sample consisted of 846 adults (71% females) who completed questionnaires measuring psychopathy, childhood maltreatment, emotion regulation, and aggression. The results highlight that disinhibition traits of psychopathy are the closest attributes of early experiences of abuse (but not neglect) in childhood and correlate with all dimensions of emotion regulation difficulties, being specifically associated with reactive aggression. Neglect was a unique attribute in the nomological network of meanness, with widespread correlations with emotion regulation difficulties but also an increased ability to engage in goal-directed behavior. Physical abuse was the only dimension of childhood adversity that was found to be intercorrelated with boldness and increased emotional regulation was found in this psychopathic trait. No significant associations were found between boldness, meanness, and aggression once shared variance with disinhibition was controlled. These results are discussed in terms of their implication for research and clinical practice.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/2/115childhood maltreatmentemotion regulationpsychopathyaggressionnomological network |
| spellingShingle | Diana Moreira Candy Silva Patrícia Moreira Tiago Miguel Pinto Raquel Costa Diogo Lamela Inês Jongenelen Rita Pasion Addressing the Complex Links between Psychopathy and Childhood Maltreatment, Emotion Regulation, and Aggression—A Network Analysis in Adults Behavioral Sciences childhood maltreatment emotion regulation psychopathy aggression nomological network |
| title | Addressing the Complex Links between Psychopathy and Childhood Maltreatment, Emotion Regulation, and Aggression—A Network Analysis in Adults |
| title_full | Addressing the Complex Links between Psychopathy and Childhood Maltreatment, Emotion Regulation, and Aggression—A Network Analysis in Adults |
| title_fullStr | Addressing the Complex Links between Psychopathy and Childhood Maltreatment, Emotion Regulation, and Aggression—A Network Analysis in Adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Addressing the Complex Links between Psychopathy and Childhood Maltreatment, Emotion Regulation, and Aggression—A Network Analysis in Adults |
| title_short | Addressing the Complex Links between Psychopathy and Childhood Maltreatment, Emotion Regulation, and Aggression—A Network Analysis in Adults |
| title_sort | addressing the complex links between psychopathy and childhood maltreatment emotion regulation and aggression a network analysis in adults |
| topic | childhood maltreatment emotion regulation psychopathy aggression nomological network |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/14/2/115 |
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