title: Physiological Arousal and Juvenile Psychopathy: Is Low Resting Heart Rate Associated with Affective Dimensions?
abstract: A wealth of past research has examined the relationship between low physiological arousal and violence or antisocial behavior. Relatively little research; however, has examined the relationship between low physiological arousal and psychopathic traits, with even less having been conducted with juveniles. The current study attempts to fill this gap by evaluating juveniles' physiological arousal using resting heart rate and their levels of psychopathic traits. Results suggest that there is indeed an inverse relationship between resting heart rate and the affective traits of psychopathy (Uncaring, Callousness, and Unemotionality) as well as Thrill or Sensation Seeking in males. No significant relationship was found in females. Implications of the findings as well as study limitations and future directions are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, Saint Louis University, Morrisey Hall, 3700 Lindell Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA. nkavish@slu.edu.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kavish
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work and Department of Epidemiology, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St.Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Vaughn
authors.affiliation: Meadows Center and Vaughn Gross Center, College of Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Eunsoo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Education, College of Education, University of Missouri, Colombia, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work and Department of Epidemiology, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St.Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boutwell
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Education, College of Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vaughn
authors.affiliation: Meadows Center and Vaughn Gross Center, College of Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Capin
authors.affiliation: Meadows Center and Vaughn Gross Center, College of Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stillman
authors.affiliation: Meadows Center and Vaughn Gross Center, College of Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martinez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000339:Affect; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory
keywords: Affective traits; Juveniles; Low physiological arousal; Psychopathy