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Possible Interventions for Preventing the Development of Psychopathic Traits among Children and Adolescents?

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  • Gunnar Bjørnebekk

    (Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1140, 0318 Oslo, Norway
    The Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development, Essendrops gt. 3, 0368 Oslo, Norway)

  • Dagfinn Mørkrid Thøgersen

    (The Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development, Essendrops gt. 3, 0368 Oslo, Norway)

Abstract

Individuals with the combination of psychopathy and severe conduct disorder often get in a lot of trouble from their early childhood, and can cause great suffering and problems for other people and their immediate environment. Their antisocial behaviour has a tendency to develop into a chronic pattern early in life, and the treatment prognosis in adulthood is poor. A large proportion of serious violent crimes in society can be attributed to this group of perpetrators. Until recently, it has been unclear whether traits of this type can be prevented or changed, so that these individuals and their surroundings can benefit from targeted treatments at an early stage. To reduce serious crime in a society, it is very important to develop effective measures for this particular group. A lack of empathy, indifference to others, and a lack of concern about their own performance appear to be key early signs in children and adolescents with persistent behavioural problems and more serious norm violations who continue into a criminal career upon reaching adulthood. These characteristics have been termed callous−unemotional (CU) traits, and they are considered to be a precursor to psychopathic traits in adulthood. In recent years, several studies have evaluated the degree to which treatments that have been proved effective for children and adolescents with severe behavioural problems also show effectiveness for children and adolescents with CU traits. Interventions specifically tailored to children with CU traits have also been developed with the aim of directly changing the ongoing development of this precursor to psychopathy. In this paper, we will address the extent to which current evidence-based treatment methods developed for children and adolescents with behavioural difficulties are equally effective when a child has CU traits. We will also take a closer look at the effects of interventions designed to change this trait. There will be a discussion regarding what seems relevant for a change in the trait itself, as well as a change in their antisocial behaviour.

Suggested Citation

  • Gunnar Bjørnebekk & Dagfinn Mørkrid Thøgersen, 2021. "Possible Interventions for Preventing the Development of Psychopathic Traits among Children and Adolescents?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2021:i:1:p:409-:d:715057
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mihalic, Sharon F. & Elliott, Delbert S., 2015. "Evidence-based programs registry: Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 124-131.
    2. Terrie E. Moffitt, 2018. "Male antisocial behaviour in adolescence and beyond," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 2(3), pages 177-186, March.
    3. Corrado, Raymond R. & DeLisi, Matt & Hart, Stephen D. & McCuish, Evan C., 2015. "Can the causal mechanisms underlying chronic, serious, and violent offending trajectories be elucidated using the psychopathy construct?," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 251-261.
    4. Fox, Bryanna H. & Jennings, Wesley G. & Farrington, David P., 2015. "Bringing psychopathy into developmental and life-course criminology theories and research," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 274-289.
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