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Article
Further Evaluation of the Associations Between Psychopathic Traits and Symptoms of PTSD and Depression in a Nonclinical Sample
Journal of Personality Disorders
  • Nicholas Kavish, Sam Houston State University
  • Danielle Boisvert, Sam Houston State University
  • Eric M. Cooke, Sam Houston State University
  • Richard H. Lewis, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
  • Matthias Woeckener, Sam Houston State University
  • Jessica Wells, Boise State University
  • Todd A. Armstrong, University of Nebraska Omaha
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-1-2021
Abstract

Examining psychopathic traits at the factor or facet level has revealed that various aspects of psychopathy may be differentially related, even in opposing directions, to important outcomes (e.g., intelligence, emotion regulation). Empirical work on relations between psychopathy and internalizing disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, has provided evidence for a positive association with antisocial traits. However, findings for the affective domain have been more equivocal. The current study (N = 732) sought to replicate past findings of the positive association of antisocial psychopathic traits with higher levels of PTSD and depressive symptoms, and to further explore associations between affective traits of psychopathy and these disorders using two measures of psychopathy. Results confirmed prior findings of a positive correlation between antisocial features and self-reported PTSD/Depression symptom severity, but they did not provide evidence for any association with affective traits. Future research using longitudinal designs is needed to begin establishing temporal ordering of the psychopathy–internalizing relationship.

Copyright Statement

This document was originally published in:

Kavish, N., Boisvert, D., Cooke, E.M., Lewis, R.H., Woeckener, M., Wells, J., & Armstrong, T.A. (2021). Further Evaluation of the Associations Between Psychopathic Traits and Symptoms of PTSD and Depression in a Nonclinical Sample. Journal of Personality Disorders, 35(3), 469-480,

Copyright 2021, Guilford Press. Reprinted with permission of The Guilford Press. Copyright restrictions may apply. https://doi.org/10.1521/pedi_2020_34_467

Citation Information
Nicholas Kavish, Danielle Boisvert, Eric M. Cooke, Richard H. Lewis, et al.. "Further Evaluation of the Associations Between Psychopathic Traits and Symptoms of PTSD and Depression in a Nonclinical Sample" Journal of Personality Disorders (2021)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jessica-wells/15/