Psychopathic traits and maltreatment: Relations with aggression and mental health problems in detained boys.
Psychopathic traits and a history of maltreatment are well-known risk factors for mental health problems and aggression. A better insight in the impact of such risk factors on juvenile delinquents is likely to help tailoring treatment. Therefore, this study aimed to examine mental health problems and aggression in detained delinquent youths with various levels of psychopathic traits and maltreatment. Standardized questionnaires were used to assign 439 detained male adolescents (N = 439; from 13 to 18years of age) to one of six mutually exclusive groups: adolescents with (1) low psychopathic traits without maltreatment; (2) low psychopathic traits and one type of maltreatment; (3) low psychopathic traits and multiple types of maltreatment; (4) high psychopathic traits without maltreatment; (5) high psychopathic traits and one type of maltreatment and finally (6) high psychopathic traits and multiple types of maltreatment. Next, groups were compared on mental health problems, mental disorders and reactive and proactive aggression. Findings indicated that compared to the low psychopathic traits groups, high psychopathic traits groups had markedly higher levels of externalizing mental health problems (such as attention deficit/hyperactivity, substance abuse, rule-breaking), proactive and reactive aggression, but not of internalizing mental health problems (anxiety and depression). Mental health problems in boys with a low level of psychopathic traits increased with the number of types of maltreatment in their history. In boys with a high level of psychopathic traits, group differences did not reach significance. Levels of proactive and reactive aggression increased with the number of types of maltreatment in boys with low levels of psychopathic traits, but not in those with high psychopathic traits. Thus, in detained adolescents both psychopathic traits and the number of maltreatment types are related to the severity of mental health problems and types of aggression. When used in routine screening procedures, these risk factors may thus improve identification and support targeted treatment-allocation of detained adolescents with serious clinical problems.
Academic Workplace Forensic Care for Youth (Academische Werkplaats Forensische Zorg voor Jeugd), Postbus 94, 7200 AB Zutphen, The Netherlands; Curium-LUMC, Leiden University Medical Center, Endegeesterstraatweg 27, 2342 AK Oegstgeest, The Netherlands. Electronic address: p.vahl@curium.nl.
Pauline
P
Vahl
Academic Workplace Forensic Care for Youth (Academische Werkplaats Forensische Zorg voor Jeugd), Postbus 94, 7200 AB Zutphen, The Netherlands; Curium-LUMC, Leiden University Medical Center, Endegeesterstraatweg 27, 2342 AK Oegstgeest, The Netherlands.
Olivier F
OF
Colins
Academic Workplace Forensic Care for Youth (Academische Werkplaats Forensische Zorg voor Jeugd), Postbus 94, 7200 AB Zutphen, The Netherlands; Lodewijks Advies, Sonnenbergstraat 1, 7203 DW Zutphen, The Netherlands.
Henny P B
HP
Lodewijks
VUmc de Bascule, P.O. Box 303, 1115 ZG Duivendrecht, The Netherlands.
Ramon
R
Lindauer
Academic Workplace Forensic Care for Youth (Academische Werkplaats Forensische Zorg voor Jeugd), Postbus 94, 7200 AB Zutphen, The Netherlands; Curium-LUMC, Leiden University Medical Center, Endegeesterstraatweg 27, 2342 AK Oegstgeest, The Netherlands.
Monica T
MT
Markus
Academic Workplace Forensic Care for Youth (Academische Werkplaats Forensische Zorg voor Jeugd), Postbus 94, 7200 AB Zutphen, The Netherlands; VUmc de Bascule, P.O. Box 303, 1115 ZG Duivendrecht, The Netherlands.
Theo A H
TA
Doreleijers
Academic Workplace Forensic Care for Youth (Academische Werkplaats Forensische Zorg voor Jeugd), Postbus 94, 7200 AB Zutphen, The Netherlands; Curium-LUMC, Leiden University Medical Center, Endegeesterstraatweg 27, 2342 AK Oegstgeest, The Netherlands; VUmc de Bascule, P.O. Box 303, 1115 ZG Duivendrecht, The Netherlands.
Robert R
RR
Vermeiren
D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D011329:Prisoners / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D055815:Young Adult
Abuse; Detained; Maltreatment; Neglect; Psychopathy; Youth