title: Psychopathy and lifetime experiences of depression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have investigated an association between psychopathy and depression as part of the broader study of co-morbidity between psychopathy and Axis I psychopathology or as part of validity tests for psychopathy. These study methods have, however, been limited, for example, by exclusive use of questionnaires, or categorical measures of depression, and by low base rates of psychopathology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our aims were to extend previous research on psychopathy and depression and to test the hypothesis that total Psychopathy Checklist - Revised (PCL-R) scores, and the four facets of interpersonal, affective, lifestyle and anti-social behaviour, would be negatively associated with depressive symptom scores.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dimensional measures of psychopathy and lifetime major depression were derived from structured interviews (the PCL-R and the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition, Revised) with adult male prisoners. The emotional experience of depression was also studied through analysis of the narratives used by the men to describe their depressive symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PCL-R scores, and in particular the interpersonal, affective and lifestyle facets of the PCL-R, were inversely associated with depression scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that psychopathy does influence the way depression is experienced.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychoanalysis and Clinical Consulting, Ghent University, Belgium. Jochem.Willemsen@UGent.be
authors.forename: Jochem
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Willemsen
authors.forename: Stijn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vanheule
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verhaeghe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires