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The impact of psychopathy on violence among the household population of Great Britain

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Abstract

Background

The public health impact of psychopathy on violence has not previously been measured in the general population.

Methods

Psychopathy was measured using the Psychopathy Checklist:Screening Version (PCL:SV) in adults 16–74 years (n = 638) in households in England, Scotland and Wales in a two-phase survey which included self-reported measures of violence.

Results

Participants with PCL:SV scores 11 or above demonstrated a prevalence of 2.1% (95% CI 1.2, 3.8) but accounted for 18.7% of violent incidents, a population-attributable risk of 16.6%, and demonstrated an exponential rise in reported violent incidents. Psychopathic traits correlated with victim injury, multiple victim subtypes and locations.

Conclusions

Psychopathy makes a substantial impact on violence among the general population despite a low prevalence. Explanations of this association include interpersonal difficulties due to psychopathic traits, fearlessness, thrill seeking, and antisocial lifestyle, but not impulsivity independent of antisocial lifestyle.

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Acknowledgments

Survey funded by the Department of Health (England), with contracts to the Office for National Statistics, Social Survey Division, London, which carried out the fieldwork. Jeremy Coid and Min Yang were funded from a Programme Grant from the National Institute of Health Research.

Conflict of interest statement

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Queen Mary University of London, William Harvey House, 61 Bartholomew Close, London, EC1A 7BE, UK

    Jeremy Coid

  2. School of Community Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, University of Nottingham Innovation Park, 9 Triumph Road, Nottingham, NG7 2TU, UK

    Min Yang

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  1. Jeremy Coid
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  2. Min Yang
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Correspondence to Jeremy Coid.

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Coid, J., Yang, M. The impact of psychopathy on violence among the household population of Great Britain. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 46, 473–480 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-010-0212-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-010-0212-4

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