Genetic Origins of Psychopathic Personality Traits in Adult Males and Females: Results From an Adoption-Based Study

• NCJ Number: 236375
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 39 Issue: 5 Dated: September/October 2011 Pages: 426-432
• Author(s): Kevin M. Beaver; Meghan W. Rowland; Joseph A. Schwartz; Joseph L. Nedelec
• Date Published: 2011
• Length: 7 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Netherlands

Annotation

An adoption-based research design was used to estimate genetic effects on psychopathic personality traits, which are some of the most consistent predictors of violent criminal involvement.

Abstract

The study results yielded two broad findings. First, in agreement with previous research, the multivariate models conducted in the full sample of adoptees revealed a statistically significant and positive association between having a criminal biological father and scores on the psychopathic personality traits scale. A significant link was also observed when the psychopathic personality traits scale was dichotomized at the 75th percentile and the 90th percentile. In contrast, however, there were no statistically significant associations between having a criminal biological mother and scores on the continuous psychopathic personality traits scale or the two dichotomous psychopathy scales. The second main finding of the study is that the genetic effect of having a criminal biological father on psychopathic personality traits was confined to males. Females who had a criminal biological father did not score significantly higher on the continuous psychopathic personality traits scale or the two dichotomous psychopathy scales. For males, however, there was a relatively strong association between having a criminal biological father and the continuous psychopathic personality traits scale. Having a criminal biological father increased the odds of scoring in the top 25 percent of the psychopathy scale by a factor of approximately 4.3, and having a criminal biological father increased the odds of scoring in the top 10 percent of the psychopathy scale by a factor greater than 8.5. Limitations in this study that should be addressed in future research are discussed. Data for this study came from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a four-wave study of a nationally representative sample of American youths who were attending middle or high school during the 1994-1995 school year. 4 tables, 2 figures, 49 references, and appended listing of items included in the psychopathic personality traits scale