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PSYCHOMETRIC AND BIOMETRIC EVALUATION OF PSYCHOPATHIC
PERSONALITY TRAITS IN 9 AND 10 YEAR OLD TWINS
by
Serena Bezdjian
_________________________________________________
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
(PSYCHOLOGY)
August 2008
Copyright 2008 Serena Bezdjian
Object Description
| Title | Psychometric and biometric evaluation of psychopathic personality traits in 9 and 10 year old twins |
| Author | Bezdjian, Serena |
| Author email | bezdjian@usc.edu |
| Degree | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Document type | Dissertation |
| Degree program | Psychology |
| School | College of Letters, Arts and Sciences |
| Date defended/completed | 2008-04-29 |
| Date submitted | 2008 |
| Restricted until | Unrestricted |
| Date published | 2008-07-29 |
| Advisor (committee chair) | Baker, Laura A. |
| Advisor (committee member) |
Raine, Adrian Schwartz, David Prescott, Carol Trickett, Penelope |
| Abstract | Psychopathic personality traits and their genetic and environmental etiology were investigated in 9-10 year old twins. Specifically, the psychometric properties of psychopathic personality traits were examined by exploring the factor structure of these traits, investigating their relationship to other problem behaviors that occur in childhood, and investigating the extent of the genetic and environmental influences on these traits. A community sample of 1219 children (born between 1990 and 1995) from the Southern California Twin Project was employed. Psychopathic personality traits were assessed through caregiver reports of the twins psychopathic behaviors using the Child Psychopathy Scale-Revised Extended (CPS-RE; Lynam, 1997). Confirmatory factor analyses revealed an optimal two-factor solution (Callous/Disinhibited and Charming/Manipulative) to the CPS-RE subscales. Multivariate genetic modeling revealed significant genetic as well as unique environmental influences on psychopathic personality traits in both boys and girls. The heritability estimates for the two factors were 0.64 and 0.46, respectively in boys; and 0.49 and 0.58, respectively in girls. Unique environmental effects were 0.36 and 0.53, for the two factors in boys; and 0.44 and 0.37, respectively in girls. No shared environmental influences were found.; Moderate to strong phenotypic relationships between psychopathic personality traits with other measures of problem behaviors also emerged. Specifically, psychopathic traits were significantly correlated with symptoms of conduct disorder (CD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and reactive and proactive aggression. Bivariate genetic analyses examining the genetic and environmental covariation between psychopathic traits and other behavioral problems also revealed significant genetic and environmental relationships between psychopathy and CD, ODD, ADHD, and aggression. In summary, significant genetic and unique environmental influences on psychopathic traits were found in 9 and 10 year old twin boys and girls. Children who displayed higher mean psychopathy scores exhibited higher levels of symptoms for CD, ODD, aggression, and ADHD. Findings provide further evidence that psychopathic traits may develop as early as age 9-10, and that these traits are strongly related to other early behavioral problems, which may stem from common genetic predispositions. This knowledge may aid in the future prediction and therefore amelioration of aggressive and criminal behaviors in adolescents and adults. |
| Keyword | psychopathic personality traits; heritability; twin children |
| Language | English |
| Part of collection | University of Southern California dissertations and theses |
| Publisher (of the original version) | University of Southern California |
| Place of publication (of the original version) | Los Angeles, California |
| Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
| Type | texts |
| Legacy record ID | usctheses-m1442 |
| Rights | Bezdjian, Serena |
| Repository name | Libraries, University of Southern California |
| Repository address | Los Angeles, California |
| Repository email | http://www.usc.edu/isd/libraries/services/ask_a_librarian/email/ |
| Filename | etd-Bezdjian-20080729 |
| Archival file | uscthesesreloadpub_Volume23/etd-Bezdjian-20080729.pdf |
Description
| Title | Page 1 |
| Full text | PSYCHOMETRIC AND BIOMETRIC EVALUATION OF PSYCHOPATHIC PERSONALITY TRAITS IN 9 AND 10 YEAR OLD TWINS by Serena Bezdjian _________________________________________________ A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PSYCHOLOGY) August 2008 Copyright 2008 Serena Bezdjian |
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