title: Psychopathy and behavior problems: a comparison of incarcerated male and female juvenile delinquents.
abstract: The objective of the present study was to compare incarcerated male and female juvenile offenders regarding psychopathic traits, behavior problems, psychopathy taxon, conduct disorder, self-reported delinquent behavior, and crime seriousness. Within a total forensic sample of 261 detainee participants, subdivided in a male group (n=217) and a female group (n=44), statistically significant differences were found. Female juvenile offenders show less callous-unemotional traits, more emotional symptoms, more prosocial behaviors, less self-reported delinquent behavior, and lower crime seriousness. Conduct disorder prevalence was very high, but no statistically significant gender differences were found. The predictive importance of psychopathic traits, behavior problems, psychopathy taxon, and conduct disorder for the prediction of group membership (female versus male) was established by binary logistic regression.
authors.affiliation: University of Algarve (UAlg), Faro, Portugal. ppechorro@gmail.com
authors.forename: Pedro Santos
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Pechorro
authors.forename: Duarte Nuno
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Poiares
authors.forename: Rui Xavier
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marôco
authors.forename: Saul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nunes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011174:Portugal; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult