Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Latent Personality Profiles and the Relations with Psychopathology and Psychopathic Traits in Detained Adolescents

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Child Psychiatry & Human Development Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study constructed empirically derived subtypes of adolescent offenders based on general traits and examined their associations with psychopathology and psychopathic traits. The sample included 342 detained minors (172 boys and 170 girls; mean age 15.85 years, SD = 1.07) recruited in various Youth Detention Centers across the Flemish part of Belgium. All adolescents provided self-reports on the quick big five, the youth self report, and the youth psychopathic traits inventory to assess general traits, psychopathology, and psychopathic traits respectively. Latent class analyses based on general personality traits were performed and suggested three personality types, consisting of an emotionally labile, close-minded and goal-oriented class, an undercontrolled class, and an emotionally labile–careless class. These three personality types within detained minors showed particular constellations of general traits and differed meaningfully in terms of their mean-scores on externalizing psychopathology and psychopathy measures.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Moffitt TE (2006) Life-course persisent versus adolescence-limited antisocial behavior. In: Cicchetti D, Cohen DJ (eds) Developmental psychopathology: risk, disorder, and adaptation. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  2. Wareham J, Dembo R, Poythress NG, Childs K, Schmeidler J (2009) A latent class factor approach to identifying subtypes of juvenile diversion youths based on psychopathic features. Behav Sci Law 27:71–95

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Moffitt TE, Caspi A (2001) Childhood predictors differentiate life-course persistent and adolescence-limited antisocial pathways among males and females. Dev Psychopathol 13:355–375

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Stattin H, Kerr M, Bergman LR (2010) On the utility of Moffitt’s typology trajectories in long-term perspective. Eur J Criminol 7:521–545

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Moffitt TE, Caspi A, Harrington H, Milne BJ (2002) Males on the life-course-persistent and adolescence-limited antisocial pathways: follow-up at age 26 years. Dev Psychopathol 14:179–207

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Odgers CL, Moretti MM, Burnette ML, Chauhan P, Waite D, Reppucci ND (2007) A latent variable modeling approach to identifying subtypes of serious and violent female juvenile offenders. Aggress Behav 33:339–352

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Nijhof KS, Vermulst A, Scholte RHJ, van Dam C, Veerman JW, Engels RCME (2011) Psychopathic traits of Dutch adolescents in residential care: identifying subgroups. J Abnorm Child Psychol 39:59–70

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Frick PJ, Morris AS (2004) Temperament and developmental pathways to conduct problems. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 33:54–68

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Frick PJ, White SF (2008) The importance of callous-unemotional traits for developmental models of aggressive and antisocial behavior. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 49:359–375

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Loney BR, Frick PJ, Clements CB, Ellis ML, Kerlin K (2003) Callous-unemotional traits, impulsivity, and emotional processing in adolescents with antisocial behavior problems. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 32:66–80

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Farrington DP (2005) The importance of child and adolescent psychopathy. J Abnorm Child Psychol 33:489–497

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Frick PJ, Bodin SD, Barry CT (2000) Psychopathic traits and conduct problems in community and clinic-referred samples of children: further development of the psychopathy screening device. Psychol Assess 12:382–393

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Frick PJ, Cornell AH, Barry CT, Bodin SD, Dane HE (2003) Callous-unemotional traits and conduct problems in the prediction of conduct problem severity, aggression, and self-report of delinquency. J Abnorm Child Psychol 31:457–470

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Forsman M, Lichtenstein P, Andershed H, Larsson H (2010) A longitudinal twin study of the direction of effects between psychopathic personality and antisocial behaviour. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 51:39–47

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Haas SM, Waschbusch DA, Pelham WE Jr, King S, Andrade BF, Carrey NJ (2011) Treatment response in CP/ADHD children with callous/unemotional traits. J Abnorm Child Psychol 39:541–552

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Costa PT, McCrae RR (1992) Professional manual: revised neo personality inventory (NEO–PI–R) and NEO five-factor-inventory (NEO–FFI). Psychological Assessment Resources, Odessa

    Google Scholar 

  17. Decuyper M, De Pauw S, De Fruyt F, De Bolle M, De Clercq B (2009) A meta-analysis of psychopathy-, antisocial PD- and FFM-associations. Eur J Pers 23:531–565

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Kotov R, Gamez W, Schmidt F, Watson D (2010) Linking “big” personality traits to anxiety, depressive, and substance use disorders: a meta-analysis. Psychol Bull 136:768–821

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Hopwood CJ, Grilo CM (2010) Internalizing and externalizing personality dimensions and clinical problems in adolescents. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 41:398–408

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. De Pauw SSW, Mervielde I, De Clercq BJ, De Fruyt F, Tremmery S, Deboutte D (2009) Personality symptoms and self-esteem as correlates of psychopathology in child psychiatric patients: evaluating multiple informant data. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 40:499–515

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Skeem JL, Miller JD, Mulvey E, Tiemann J, Monahan J (2005) Using a five-factor lens to explore the relation between personality traits and violence in psychiatric patients. J Consult Clin Psychol 73:454–465

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Hart SD, Cox D, Hare R (1995) Manual for the psychopathic checklist: screening version (PCL: SV). Multi-Health Systems, Toronto

    Google Scholar 

  23. Klimstra TA, Akse J, Hale WW, Raaijmakers QAW, Meeus WNJ (2010) Longitudinal associations between personality traits and problem behavior symptoms in adolescence. J Res Pers 44:273–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Krueger RF (1999) Personality traits in late adolescence predict mental disorders in early adulthood: a prospective-epidemiological study. J Pers 67:39–65

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Krueger RF, South SC (2009) Externalizing disorders: cluster 5 of the proposed meta-structure for DSM-V and ICD-11. Psychol Med 39:2061–2070

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Salekin RT, Debus SA, Barker ED (2010) Adolescent psychopathy and the five factor model: domain and facet analysis. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 32:501–514

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Anderson KG, Tapert SF, Moadab I, Crowley TJ, Brown SA (2007) Personality risk profile for conduct disorder and substance use disorders in youth. Addict Behav 32:2377–2382

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Caspi A, Moffitt TE, Newman DL, Silva PA (1996) Behavioral observations at age 3 years predict adult psychiatric disorders—longitudinal evidence from a birth cohort. Arch Gen Psychiatry 53:1033–1039

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Rettew DC, Althoff RR, Dumenci L, Ayer L, Hudziak JJ (2008) Latent profiles of temperament and their relations to psychopathology and wellness. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 47:273–281

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Althoff RR, Rettew DC, Boomsma DI, Hudziak JJ (2009) Latent class analysis of the child behavior checklist obsessive–compulsive scale. Compr Psychiatry 50:584–592

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. DeLisi M, Vaughn M, Beaver KM, Wexler J, Barth AE, Fletcher JM (2011) Fledgling psychopathy in the classroom: ADHD subtypes, psychopathy, and reading comprehension in a community sample of adolescents. Youth Violence Juv Justice 9:43–58

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Block JH, Block J (1980) The California child Q-set. CA Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto

    Google Scholar 

  33. Asendorpf JB, van Aken MAG (1999) Resilient, overcontrolled, and undercontrolled personality prototypes in childhood: replicability, predictive power, and the trait-type issue. J Pers Soc Psychol 77:815–832

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Van Leeuwen K, De Fruyt F, Mervielde I (2004) A longitudinal study of the utility of the resilient, overcontrolled, and undercontrolled personality types as predictors of children’s and adolescents’ problem behaviour. Int J Behav Dev 28:210–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. De Fruyt F, Mervielde I, Van Leeuwen K (2002) The consistency of personality type classification across samples and five-factor measures. Eur J Pers 16:S57–S72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Asendorpf JB, Denissen JJA (2006) Predictive validity of personality types versus personality dimensions from early childhood to adulthood: implications for the distinction between core and surface traits. Merrill Palmer Q J Dev Psychol 52:486–513

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Chapman BP, Goldberg LR (2011) Replicability and 40-year predictive power of childhood ARC types. J Pers Soc Psychol 101:593–606

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Colins O, Vermeiren R, Schuyten G, Broekaert E (2009) Psychiatric disorders in property, violent, and versatile offending detained male adolescents. Am J Orthopsychiatry 79:31–38

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Colins O, Vermeiren R, Vreugdenhil C, van den Brink W, Doreleijers T, Broekaert E (2010) Psychiatric disorders in detained male adolescents: a systematic literature review. Can J Psychiatry 55:255–263

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Vermulst AA (2005) QBF: Quick big five Persoonlijkheidstest handleiding [quick big five personality test manual]. LDC, Leeuwarden

    Google Scholar 

  41. Dubas JS, Gerris JRM, Janssens J, Vermulst AA (2002) Personality types of adolescents: concurrent correlates, antecedents, and type X parenting interactions. J Adolesc 25:79–92

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Mervielde I, De Fruyt F (2009) Hiërarchische Persoonlijkheidsvragenlijst voor Kinderen [hierarchical personality inventory for children]. Hogrefe Publisher B.V., Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  43. De Fruyt F, Bartels M, Van Leeuwen KG, De Clercq B, Decuyper M, Mervielde I (2006) Five types of personality continuity in childhood and adolescence. J Pers Soc Psychol 91:538–552

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. De Clercq B, De Fruyt F, Koot HM, Benoit Y (2004) Quality of life in children surviving cancer: a personality and multi-informant perspective. J Pediatr Psychol 29:579–590

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Achenbach TM, Rescorla LA (2001) Manual for ASEBA school-age forms & profiles. University of Vermont, Burlington

    Google Scholar 

  46. Verhulst FC, Van der Ende J (2001) Handleiding voor de CBCL/6-18, YSR en TRF [Dutch manual for CBCL/6-18, YSR, and TRF]. Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  47. Kasius MC, Ferdinand RF, vandenBerg H, Verhulst FC (1997) Associations between different diagnostic approaches for child and adolescent psychopathology. J Child Psychol Psychiatry Allied Discip 38:625–632

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Andershed H, Kerr M, Stattin H, Levander S (2002) Psychopathic traits in non-referred youths: initial tests of a new assessment tool. In: Blaauw E, Sheridan L (eds) Psychopaths: current international perspectives. Elsevier, The Hague

    Google Scholar 

  49. Das J, de Ruiter C (2003) Youth psychopathic traits inventory: Geautoriseerde Nederlandse vertaling [Youth psychopathic traits inventory: authorized Dutch translation] (Unpublished research version)

  50. Cooke DJ, Michie C (2001) Refining the construct of psychopathy: towards a hierarchical model. Psychol Assess 13:171–188

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Forsman M, Lichtenstein P, Andershed H, Larsson H (2008) Genetic effects explain the stability of psychopathic personality from mid- to late-adolescence. J Abnorm Psychol 117:606–617

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Skeem JL, Cauffman E (2003) Views of the downward extension: comparing the youth version of the psychopathy checklist with the youth psychopathic traits inventory. Behav Sci Law 21:737–770

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Nylund KL, Asparoutiov T, Muthen BO (2007) Deciding on the number of classes in latent class analysis and growth mixture modeling: a Monte Carlo simulation study. Struct Equ Model 14:535–569

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Akaike H (1987) Factor-analysis and AIC. Psychometrika 52:317–332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Muthén LK, Muthén BO (2007) Mplus user’s guide. Muthén & Muthén, Los Angeles

    Google Scholar 

  56. Delucchi KL, Katerberg H, Stewart SE, Denys DAJP, Lochner C, Stack DE et al (2011) Latent class analysis of the Yale-Brown obsessive-compulsive scale symptoms in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Compr Psychiatry 52:334–341

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Breuk RE, Clauser CAC, Stams G, Slot NW, Doreleijers TAH (2007) The validity of questionnaire self-report of psychopathology and parent–child relationship quality in juvenile delinquents with psychiatric disorders. J Adolesc 30:761–771

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Decuyper M, De Fruyt F, Buschman J (2008) A five-factor model perspective on psychopathy and comorbid axis-II disorders in a forensic–psychiatric sample. Int J Law Psychiatry 31:394–406

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Ruiz MA, Pincus AL, Schinka JA (2008) Externalizing pathology and the five-factor model: a meta-analysis of personality traits associated with antisocial personality disorder, substance use disorder, and their co-occurrence. J Pers Disord 22:365–388

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. O’Connor BP (2005) A search for consensus on the dimensional structure of personality disorders. J Clin Psychol 61:323–345

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Samuel DB, Widiger TA (2008) A meta-analytic review of the relationships between the five-factor model and DSM–IV–TR personality disorders: a facet level analysis. Clin Psychol Rev 28:1326–1342

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. De Clercq B, Rettew DC, Althoff RR, De Bolle M (2012) Childhood personality types: vulnerability and adaptation over time. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 53:716–722

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Clark LA (2010) Emergent issues in assessing personality pathology: illustrations from two studies of adolescent personality and related pathology. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 32:537–543

    Article  Google Scholar 

  64. Harris PW, Jones PR (1999) Differentiating delinquent youths for program planning and evaluation. Crim Justice Behav 26:403–434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  65. Miller TR (1991) The psychotherapeutic utility of the 5-factor model of personality—a clinician experience. J Pers Assess 57:415–433

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Quilty LC, De Fruyt F, Rolland JP, Kennedy SH, Rouillon PF, Bagby RM (2008) Dimensional personality traits and treatment outcome in patients with major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord 108:241–250

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Hybels CF, Blazer DG, Pieper CF, Landerman LR, Steffens DC (2009) Profiles of depressive symptoms in older adults diagnosed with major depression: latent cluster analysis. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 17:387–396

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  68. Cohen J (1988) Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Lawrence Earlbaum Associates, Hillsdale

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, H. Dunantlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Mieke Decuyper, Barbara De Clercq & Filip De Fruyt

  2. Curium-Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Olivier F. Colins & Robert Vermeiren

  3. VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Robert Vermeiren

  4. Department of Orthopedagogy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Eric Broekaert

  5. Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Patricia Bijttebier & Annelore Roose

Authors
  1. Mieke Decuyper
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Olivier F. Colins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Barbara De Clercq
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Robert Vermeiren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Eric Broekaert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Patricia Bijttebier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Annelore Roose
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Filip De Fruyt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mieke Decuyper.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Decuyper, M., Colins, O.F., De Clercq, B. et al. Latent Personality Profiles and the Relations with Psychopathology and Psychopathic Traits in Detained Adolescents. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 44, 217–232 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-012-0320-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-012-0320-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation