Adolescent Psychopathic Traits, Early Adversity, and Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract

Research shows psychopathic traits in adults are associated with perpetrating intimate partner violence (IPV). Less research, however, has examined this association in adolescents’ relationships. Our study examines whether adolescent psychopathic traits are associated with different forms of IPV and whether early adverse experiences of abuse and/or interparental violence might be implicated in this relationship. A mixed sample of 156 justice-involved and at-risk adolescents were assessed with the PCL:YV, participated in an early adversity interview assessing abuse and interparental violence, and completed IPV measures of physical and psychological aggressive acts. Psychopathic traits were associated with each IPV measure over and above early adversity. Psychopathic traits continued to be associated with psychological but not physical IPV after accounting for sample type. Furthermore, psychopathic traits indirectly linked interparental violence with psychological IPV, suggesting that psychopathic traits may play a role in the intergenerational perpetration of partner violence.