Kurtz, Tanya-Maree (2018) Developmental Psychopathy: Do Traits Resembling Psychopathy Temporarily Rise in Adolescence? Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Controversy surrounds the application and assessment of the psychopathy construct during the adolescent period of development, given that adolescence is a period of significant change and instability. Specifically, it has been argued that normal developmental processes produce characteristics, which mimic psychopathic personality traits, and that consequently adolescents are at risk of being incorrectly labelled as psychopathic. Adolescent development is characterised by increased antisocial behaviour participation, which has been found to decline as adolescents move into adulthood. It has therefore been suggested that like antisocial behaviour, personality features associated with the psychopathy construct may temporarily increase during the adolescent phase of development. However, limited research has investigated the normative developmental trajectories of psychopathic personality features during adolescence. Therefore, the primary aim of the current study was to investigate whether a developmental peak in psychopathy traits is evidence during adolescence. The study also sought to provide support for the consistent evidence reported in the literature which suggests there is a temporary increase in antisocial behaviour participation during adolescence. An Australian community sample of 123 adolescents (1519 years, Mage = 17.79 years, SD = 1.15) and 138 young adults (20-25 years, Mage = 22.33 years, SD = 1.79) were recruited through the University of Southern Queensland and the researchers’ personal networks. Data were collected through an online questionnaire. Psychopathic personality traits were assessed using the Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD) and the Adolescent Antisocial Attitudes Scale (AASAS), and antisocial behaviour participation was measured using the Adolescent Antisocial Behaviour Scale (AASBS). As hypothesised, relative to young adults, adolescents scored significantly higher total psychopathy scores and also reported participating in significantly higher levels of antisocial behaviour during the past 12 months. Although the effect sizes were small, the results PSYCHOPATHY TRAITS IN ADOLESCENCE v suggest that similar to ASB participation, there may be specific developmental patterns in psychopathic personality traits during the period of adolescence, which could result in adolescents being incorrectly labelled as psychopathic.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Suzanne Czech |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 07 Aug 2025 03:04 |
| Last Modified: | 07 Aug 2025 03:04 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Adolescence, Adolescent Psychopathy, Adolescent Development, Normative Development, Antisocial Behaviour, Psychopathy-Traits. |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52479 |
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