Psychopathic traits in young offenders vs. non-offenders in similar socioeconomic condition
Braz. J. Psychiatry (São Paulo, 1999, Impr.)
;
36(3): 241-244, Jul-Sep/2014. tab
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-718454
ABSTRACT
Objective:
To analyze the differences in psychopathic traits between offender and non-offender youths with similar socioeconomic backgrounds.Method:
The Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R) scale was used to identify whether 39 young offenders with no history of mental disorders or criteria for psychopathy exhibited differences in its total score, and specifically for factor 1 or factor 2 of this scale, when compared with 32 other young people, living in similar socioeconomic conditions, who had not committed offenses.Results:
We observed statistically significant between-group differences (p < 0.01) in mean PCL-R scores, with a mean score of 13.4 in the offender group vs. 2.1 in the non-offender group. We also detected significant between-group differences when we analyzed mean factor 1 (p < 0.01) and factor 2 (p < 0.01) scores separately. Although the groups exhibited statistically significant difference in educational attainment, between-group comparison of mean PCL-R scores controlling for educational attainment by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that the difference in PCL-R scores remained statistically significant (p < 0.01).Conclusions:
We conclude that, in this sample, the presence of both primary (interpersonal/affective characteristics) and secondary (lifestyle/antisocial behavior) psychopathic traits differed between offender and non-offender youths, even when excluding psychopathy and other mental disorders from the assessments. These results suggest a need for wide-ranging interventions, not restricted to socioeconomic aspects, for the management of juvenile delinquency. .
Full text:
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Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Socioeconomic Factors
/
Criminals
/
Juvenile Delinquency
/
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Type of study:
Prognostic study
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Brazil
Language:
English
Journal:
Braz. J. Psychiatry (São Paulo, 1999, Impr.)
Journal subject:
Psychiatry
Year:
2014
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP)/BR
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