This study assessed the relationships between psychopathic personality traits and perceived stress among 264 young adults. A hypothesized indirect effect of emotion and empathy deficits in the psychopathy-stress association was also investigated. Results indicated stronger associations between perceived stress with secondary psychopathy compared with primary psychopathy. Indirect effects of alexithymic traits on the relationship between stress and psychopathic personality traits were reported. Although the current study showed that both primary and secondary traits are significantly association with higher levels of self-reported stress, it is the latter which seems to be most important, lending more weight to the need to consider mental health outcomes in those with high levels of secondary psychopathy characteristics.
There is a good deal of research about the predictors of aggressive and antisocial behaviour in children, adolescents, and adults. Additionally, previous work has established a link between psychopathic personality and disruptive behaviours among youth, with clear links to bullying. However, little is known about the role of psychopathic personality traits in the manifestation of bullying in young adults. In order to shed additional understanding on the nature of the relationship between bullying and psychopathy, the current investigation proposes to compare psychopathic personality traits in relation to participants’ roles in bullying and to examine the relationships between bullying and psychopathy. The sample comprised here involves 273 college students (Mage=25.5; SD=6.1), who responded to measures of psychopathy and bullying behaviours. With the exception of Carefree Non-Planfulness, Fearlessness, Stress Immunity and Social Influence, all other psychopathic domains measured by the PPI-R-40 were positively correlated with victimisation (rrange=.07-.35). Higher self-reporting of bullying others was linked with higher levels of Blame Externalisation, Machiavellianism, Rebellion Nonconformity, Self-Centred Impulsivity factor, Social Influence, and total psychopathy (rrange=.08-.38). Significant differences between participants’ involvement with bullying for Blame Externalisation, Machiavellian Egocentricity, Rebellion Nonconformity, Social Influence, Total Psychopathy and Self-Centred Impulsivity factor. Implications of the study, along with limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
OBJECTIVES:Several barriers have been identified as preventing or delaying access to children's palliative care services. The aim of this study is to further explore such barriers from palliative care professionals' perspective from two London boroughs.METHODS:Qualitative-five children's palliative care professionals' perceptions were obtained from semi-structured interviews.RESULTS:Three themes emerged: availability and adequacy of child palliative care (e.g., unreliability of services), obstacles to accessing palliative care (e.g., logistical challenges), and cultural values and family priorities.CONCLUSION:These findings contribute to the equal opportunities dialogue in this sector and the need for future research to address the challenges identified.
OBJECTIVE::To investigate the unique contribution of narcissism and impulsivity, in addition to callous-unemotional (CU) traits, in explaining concurrent prosocial and antisocial behavior.METHOD::Two hundred and forty-nine schoolchildren (53% female; age 9-12 years) completed the self-report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD). Two statistical models were tested, predicting conduct problems (CP) and prosocial behavior (PB). In the first one, CU traits and gender were entered into the equation. The second model added narcissism and impulsivity.RESULTS::Gender, narcissism and impulsivity, but not CU, were statistically significant predictors of CP in the second model (F3,226 = 45.07, p < 0.001, R2 = 43.7%; betas: gender = -0.20, narcissism = 0.29, impulsivity = 0.36, CU = 0.06). PB was significantly predicted by all domains except gender (F3,226 = 42.57, p < 0.001, R2 = 42.4%; betas: gender = 0.08, narcissism = -0.16, impulsivity = -0.23, CU = -0.41).CONCLUSION::Our results confirmed that CU traits refer to a distinct manifestation of psychopathy in youth, but we also found that narcissism and impulsivity are equally important when predicting CP. Previous reports of sex differences on APSD and SDQ domains were also corroborated.
Abstract: Technostress occurs when individuals experience negative psychosocial effects of technology usage and also demonstrate negative valence associated with ICT use. It is composed of four dimensions (Disbelief, Fatigue, Anxiety, and Ineffectiveness), which describe two aspects of technostress (Technoanxiety and Technofatigue). This study aimed to investigate the relation between technostress dimensions, career commitment, life satisfaction, and work-family interactions among ICT professionals. Variables including gender, age and length of employment were also considered. The sample was composed of 234 Brazilian individuals. It was found that work-family and family-work conflicts were associated with increased technofatigue and technoanxiety, and decreased career resilience. Age and gender differences were also identified. These differences emphasize the role of organizations and society in what refers to reduce inequalities in workplace and to support better preventive actions Resumen: El Tecno-estrés se produce cuando las personas experimentan efectos psicosociales negativos por el uso de la tecnología y también demuestran valencia negativa asociada con el uso de las TIC. Se compone de cuatro dimensiones (incredulidad, fatiga, ansiedad, e ineficacia) que describen dos aspectos del tecno-estrés (tecno-ansiedad y tecno-cansancio). El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar la relación entre las dimensiones del tecno-estrés, compromiso con la carrera, satisfacción con la vida y la interacción trabajo-familia entre los profesionales de las TIC. También se consideraron variables como el sexo, la edad y la antigüedad en el empleo. La muestra se compuso de 234 individuos brasileños. Se encontró que el conflicto trabajo-familia y familia-trabajo se asociaron con una mayor tecno-fatiga y tecno-ansiedad, y una menor resiliencia en la carrera. También se detectaron diferencias de edad y género, lo que enfatiza en el papel de las organizaciones y la sociedad en reducir las desigualdades en el lugar de trabajo y apoyar mejores acciones preventivas
This paper aims to convey an introduction to the psychology of music. At a very basic level, sound informs our model of the world, aiding survival. Musical sound and practice further offers a merging of exogenous and endogenous temporal states and templates, employing multiple complex neural mechanisms. Here we provide an overview of the literature exploring why music matters to our minds and bodies.
This study aimed to: (a) comprehend the relationship between primary and secondary psychopathy variants and bullying behaviors in adults; (b) to test for mediation effects of the experiences of victimization in strengthening the bonds between bullying and psychopathy; and (c) to explore how far gender and psychopathic variants predict bullying. Results showed that psychopathy (both primary and secondary) and gender (male) significantly predicted bullying perpetrator behaviors. These same predictors were also significant in explaining total involvement with bullying; primary psychopathy displayed, however, better explanatory power. Being a victim of bullying also mediated the relationship between psychopathic variants and bullying perpetrating. The magnitude of the correlations between bullying and both psychopathic variants detected in this study were bigger than the average reported in studies with children and adolescents, which could inform about greater severity of these behaviors in adult life. Specifically, findings from regression analyses suggest that components of cold-blooded psychopathy could be driving the engagement of this sample with aggressive behaviors. Implications of these findings, along with limitations and directions for further research are discussed.
Aim:This paper considers the research evidence on brain plasticity and its relevance for education.Rationale:The human brain develops at a phenomenal rate typically reaching 95 per cent of its adult size by 6 years of age. This paper highlights some of the structural, neurobiological, neurochemical and functional changes that are said to occur following early childhood. The implications for contemporary education are explored.Findings:There is ample evidence that the brain changes in respect of structure, synaptic density, neurotransmission, interconnectivity and functioning throughout childhood and adolescence. It is also increasingly evident that the brain’s plasticity makes it susceptible to the influence of experience and the environment. Programmes have been developed which purport to draw on this neuroscience, but there is unease amongst neuroscientists that the science is being misrepresented. Examples of the appropriate use of neuroscience in education and clinical casework are discussed.Conclusions:Evidence of brain plasticity has the potential to positively influence education at the strategic, organisational and individual level. It is suggested that the most important contribution that neuroscience has made to education, to date, is to provoke a reconsideration of the prevailing philosophy of education. There is now an urgent need for professionals who can evaluate the claims of neuroscience and assist educationalists to harness the benefits for children and young people.
Parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often hindered by their carer status as they seek to obtain and maintain employment opportunities. These parents can incur financial, social, and psychological distress related to their inabilities to commit to the demands of a typical work environment. This paper seeks to identify the course of employment for parents following a child's diagnosis. This paper also seeks to delineate factors that influence continued employment despite carer status, as well as the factors that prevent continued employment. A sample of 10 parents of children with a primary diagnosis of ASD and a sample of 10 parents of children with a primary diagnosis of ADHD were interviewed concerning their employment experiences before and after the diagnoses of their children. The interviews were analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis and produced several discrete themes. Participants identified a desire for normality, as well as financial motivation, as the primary factors determining continued employment. These parents also reported various barriers to employment such as lack of availability of adequate childcare, colleague and manager misunderstanding, inflexible organizational policies, and inaccessibility of opportunity. These findings offer a qualitative overview of the vocational struggles of parents of children with ADHD and ASD while implying the necessity of support and education for this often-overlooked group of carers, as well as those who employ them.
The definition of conduct disorder in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSMV) includes a new 'limited prosocial emotions' specifier, designed to assist in the identification of those with more severe and persistent difficulties and the better targeting of interventions. This study set out to investigate its relevance to pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) in the United Kingdom who might meet the criteria for a diagnosis of conduct disorder (CD). Limited prosocial emotions were assessed using a measure of callous-unemotional (CU) interpersonal style, and their relationship with social behaviour, social status and self-concept was investigated among children aged 8-11 years with identified SEBD (N = 54) using teacher, peer and self-report measures. Findings demonstrated that higher scores on the specifier were associated with more severe problems in all but one of the domains investigated. Higher CU scores were positively associated with teacher and peer-assessed antisocial behaviour and with social rejection. The association between CU scores and social acceptance by peers was negative. However, associations between CU scores and self-perceptions, including social self-perception, were small and non-significant. Thus, despite being socially rejected and rated more negatively by peers than children with low CU levels, the social self-concept of children with elevated CU levels was not lower. Implications for assessment and the differentiation of interventions are considered.
An initial evaluation of the utility of designing an intervention to address neuroscience-based subtyping of children who have conduct problems was undertaken in this pilot study. Drawing on the literature on callous-unemotional traits, a novel intervention programme, 'Let's Get Smart', was implemented in a school for children with social emotional and behavioural difficulties. A mixed-methods design was used to investigate the perspectives of staff participant-observers in the change process, alongside standardised scores on measures of pupil performance and behaviour. Both qualitative and quantitative results showed reductions in externalising behaviour and improvements in measures of hypothesised underlying cognitive and affective processes. While externalising behaviour improved across subtypes, associated changes in underlying processes differed by subtype, supporting the potential value of neuroscience-informed contributions to intervention planning.
The Russian School Twin Registry (RSTR) was established in 2012, supported by a grant from the Government of the Russian Federation. The main aim of the registry is to contribute to Progress in Education through Gene-Environment Studies (PROGRESS). The formation of the registry is ongoing and it is expected that most schools in the Russian Federation (approximately 50,000 schools) will contribute data to the registry. With a total of 13.7 million students in Grades 1–11 (ages 7–18), the potential number of twin pairs exceeds 100,000. Apart from the large sample size and its representative nature, the RSTR has one unique feature: in collaboration with the International Advisory Committee to the Registry, genetically sensitive cross-cultural investigations are planned, aided by the use of the common assessment instruments. Other strengths of the registry include the assessment of a large sample of non-twin school children, including those studying in the same classes as the twins in the registry. It is hoped that the RSTR will provide an important research platform for national and international educationally relevant research.
Research on bullying and victimization, especially in school settings, has become an important area of developmental research, with strong practical implications.In this article we overview some considerations from neuropsychology, quantitative genetics, developmental neuroscience, we discuss CU traits and conduct problems, individual, group, class and school levels of analysis, developmental changes by age and context, and cross-cultural aspects.Together we argue that these can help bring about a developmental science perspective on to this area of research.
Child and Adolescent Mental HealthVolume 16, Issue 3 p. 172-173 Book News Handbook of Child and Adolescent Psychopathy Alice Jones, Alice Jones Goldsmiths, University of LondonSearch for more papers by this author Alice Jones, Alice Jones Goldsmiths, University of LondonSearch for more papers by this author First published: 01 August 2011 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-3588.2011.00617_3.xRead the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. Volume16, Issue3September 2011Pages 172-173 RelatedInformation
BACKGROUND:Empathy dysfunction is one of the hallmarks of psychopathy, but it is also sometimes thought to characterise autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Individuals with either condition can appear uncaring towards others. This study set out to compare and contrast directly boys with psychopathic tendencies and boys with ASD on tasks assessing aspects of affective empathy and cognitive perspective taking. The main aim of the study was to assess whether a distinct profile of empathy deficits would emerge for boys with psychopathic tendencies and ASD, and whether empathy deficits would be associated with conduct problems in general, rather than psychopathic tendencies or ASD specifically.METHODS:Four groups of boys aged between 9 and 16 years (N = 96) were compared: 1) psychopathic tendencies, 2) ASD, 3) conduct problems and 4) comparison. Tasks were included to probe attribution of emotions to self, empathy for victims of aggression and cognitive perspective-taking ability.RESULTS:Boys with psychopathic tendencies had a profile consistent with dysfunctional affective empathy. They reported experiencing less fear and less empathy for victims of aggression than comparison boys. Their cognitive perspective-taking abilities were not statistically significantly different from those of comparison boys. In contrast, boys with ASD had difficulties with tasks requiring cognitive perspective taking, but reported emotional experiences and victim empathy that were in line with comparison boys. Boys with conduct problems did not differ from comparison boys, suggesting that the affective empathy deficit seen in boys with psychopathic tendencies was specific to that group, rather than common to all boys with conduct problems.CONCLUSIONS:Although both groups can appear uncaring, our findings suggest that the affective/information processing correlates of psychopathic tendencies and ASD are quite different. Psychopathic tendencies are associated with difficulties in resonating with other people's distress, whereas ASD is characterised by difficulties in knowing what other people think.
This study examined differential profiles of behavioural characteristics predictive of successful inclusion in mainstream education for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and comparison students. Multiple regression analyses using behavioural ratings from parents, teachers and peers found some evidence for differential profiles predicting peer acceptance and rejection. High levels of peer-rated shyness significantly predicted social rejection in comparison students only. Parent-rated prosocial behaviour also differentially predicted social acceptance; high-levels of prosocial behaviour predicted acceptance in comparison students, but low-levels were predictive for students with ASD. These findings suggest that schools may seek to augment traditional social skills programmes with awareness raising about ASD among mainstream pupils to utilise peers' apparent willingness to discount characteristics such as 'shyness'.
In the last decade, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of pupils with autism spec- trum disorders (ASD) attending mainstream schools. However, particular concerns have been expressed about their inclusion, focused on an increased risk of peer rejection and lack of staff knowledge about appropriate teaching approaches. Parental views of inclusive place- ments are consistently more positive where there is an ASD resource base in the school. This study was designed to investigate characteristics of the provision available to pupils with ASD in main- stream schools with and without a specialist ASD resource base. Information was gathered from semi-structured interviews with staff in 26 schools about levels of inclusion and support, about the strategies used to support pupils with ASD, both at an individual and whole school level, and about changes considered desirable. Interviewees were also asked to describe how they would respond to scenarios depicting situations that are commonly experienced in working with pupils who have ASD. Findings confirmed that the features of main- stream placements identified as important by parents of children with ASD were more likely to be found in schools with ASD resource bases. However, it was found that comparable provision could be made across settings given appropriate staff training. Scope for further development across settings was also identified, particularly in the use of evidence-based peer-mediated strategies.