SAGE Journal Articles
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Kolko, D. J., Herschell, A. D., & Scharf, D. M. (2006). Education and treatment for boys who set fires: Specificity, moderators, and predictors of recidivism. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 14, 227-239.
This study was devoted to understanding how interventions (fire safety education and cognitive-behavioral treatment) work for children who set fires and with whom these interventions are most effective.
Abstract
Given the relative absence of treatment outcome studies,information about the specificity and utility of interventions for children who set fires has not been reported. In a treatment outcome study with young boys referred for fire setting that compared brief home visitation from a firefighter, fire safety education (FSE), and cognitive–behavioral treatment (CBT), we examined the specificity, potential moderators, and predictors of recidivism. FSE exerted specific effects on some fire knowledge and safety measures, as expected; CBT tended to show specific effects only on positive problem solutions. Potential moderators of FSE and CBT were suggested in an exploratory analysis (e.g.,exposure to fire models/materials, child’s general fire knowledge, and family functioning). Fire history, fire attraction, and externalizing behaviors were among the predictors of fire setting recidivism. Implications of these findings for assessment and intervention are discussed in the context of future research directions.
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Lynam, D. R., Loeber, R., & Stouthamer-Loeber, M. (2008). The stability of psychopathy from adolescence into adulthood: The search for moderators. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 35, 228-243.
Research article that examines the influence of parenting, peers, and other social factors on juvenile psychopaths as they develop into young adulthood.
Abstract
This study examines moderators of the relation between psychopathy assessed at age 13 using the mother-reported Childhood Psychopathy Scale and psychopathy assessed at age 24 using the interviewer-rated Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV). Data from more than 250 participants of the middle sample of the Pittsburgh Youth Study were used. Thirteen potential moderators were examined, including demographics (i.e., race, family structure, family socioeconomic status [SES], and neighborhood SES), parenting factors (physical punishment, inconsistent discipline, lax supervision, and positive parenting), peer delinquency, own delinquency, and other individual differences (i.e., verbal IQ, behavioral impulsivity, and cognitive impulsivity).
Moderators were examined for the total psychopathy score at age 24 as well as for each of the four PCL:SV facets. After relaxing the criterion for statistical significance, 8 out of a possible 65 interactions were statistically significant. Implications of the present findings and future directions are discussed.
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Muñoz, L. C., Kerr, M., & Bešić, N. (2008). The peer relationships of youth with psychopathic personality traits:
A matter of perspective. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 35, 212-227.
The first research article that examines the nature and quality of the relationships that juvenile psychopaths have with their peers.
Abstract
Because a callous use of others in many short-term relationships is one criterion for diagnosing psychopathy in adults, one would expect adolescents who are high on psychopathic personality traits to have unstable, conflict-ridden peer relationships. Little is known about this, however, or about the peer activities of youths who are high in psychopathic traits. The authors examined relationship quality and delinquency with peers in a community sample of 12- to 15-year-old adolescents who were stably high or stably low on psychopathic traits during 4 years. Peers also provided data on relationship quality. Youths high on psychopathic traits often engaged in antisocial activities with their peers. Although they reported conflict in their peer relationships, their peers did not report low support or high conflict in those relationships. The authors conclude that youths with psychopathic traits have biased perspectives on interactions with close peers, and this might underlie future problems.
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Swogger, M. T., & Kosson, D. S. (2007). Identifying subtypes of criminal psychopaths. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 34, 953-970.
A well-executed study designed to identify the different types of psychopaths.
Abstract
Psychopathy is an important construct in offender classification. Although several studies have suggested that there are two distinct subtypes of psychopaths, these studies have considerable limitations, including reliance on self-report measures, a failure to adequately address heterogeneity within the construct of psychopathy, and predictor-criterion contamination. A recent taxonomic study (Vassileva, Kosson, Abramowitz, & Conrod, 2005) identified four subgroups of offenders, including primary and secondary psychopaths. The present study uses cluster analysis to replicate and extend those findings to (a) an independent sample and (b) a Psychopathy Checklist–Revised factor model that reduces predictor-criterion contamination. Also, initial results were validated using a novel clustering method. Results show that psychopathy subtypes are replicable across methods. Furthermore, comparisons on other variables provide external validation of the subtypes consistent with prior theoretical conceptualizations.