An analysis of attachment style and psychopathy traits

Authors

  • Wendy Alfonso Colorado State University - Pueblo
  • Karen Yescavage Colorado State University - Pueblo
  • Sarah Wylie Colorado State University - Pueblo

Keywords:

Anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, psychopathy, meanness, impulsivity

Abstract

Previous research suggests there is a relationship between individuals’ insecure attachment and level of psychopathy.  However, there is little evidence indicating whether anxious or avoidant attachment is more predictive of psychopathy generally, or the two factors of psychopathy (meanness and impulsivity) specifically. A convenience sample of 137 participants was gathered to test four hypotheses. We first hypothesized that avoidant attachment in adulthood (i.e., attachments to all domains) would predict meanness, the primary factor of psychopathy; secondly, we hypothesized avoidant attachment would also predict impulsivity. Similarly, we hypothesized that anxious attachment in adulthood would predict meanness in psychopathy as well as impulsivity in psychopathy. We used a simple linear regression to test all four hypotheses. All but one hypothesis was supported. Anxious attachment served as a better predictor for both dimensions of psychopathy. Limitations and implications are discussed.

Author Biographies

Wendy Alfonso, Colorado State University - Pueblo

Bachelor's of Arts in Psychology

Karen Yescavage, Colorado State University - Pueblo

Professor of Psychology

Sarah Wylie, Colorado State University - Pueblo

Lecturer/ Adjunct Professor

References

Ainsworth, M. D. S., Blehar, M. C., Waters, E., & Wall, S. (1978). Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the strange situation. Erlbaum.


American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC.


Anderson, N., & Kiehl, K. (2014), “Psychopathy: Developmental perspectives and their implications for treatment,” Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, 32(1), 103–117. 10.3233/RNN-139001


Arrigo, B. A., & Griffin, A. (2004). Serial murder and the case of Aileen Wuornos: Attachment theory, psychopathy, and predatory aggression. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 375–393. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.583


Backman, H., Laajasalo, T., Jokela, M., & Aronen, E. T. (2018). Interpersonal relationships as protective and risk factors for psychopathy: A follow-up study in adolescent offenders. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(5), 1022–1036. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-017-0745-x


Bailey, C., & Shelton, D. (2014). Self-reports of faulty parental attachments in childhood and criminal psychopathy in an adult-incarcerated population: An integrative literature review. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 21, 365–374. https:// doi.org/10.1111/jpm.12086


Bartholomew, K., & Horowitz, M. L. (1991). Attachment styles among young adults: A test of a four-category model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61(2), 226–244. 10.1037//0022-3514.61.2.226


Benes, F. M. (1994). Developmental changes in stress adaptation in relation to psychopathology. Development and Psychopathology, 6, 723–739. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579400004752v


Bisby, A. M., Kimonis, R. E., & Goulter, N. (2017). Low maternal warmth mediates the relationship between emotional neglect and callous-unemotional traits among male juvenile offenders. Journal of Child & Family Studies, 26, 1790–1798. 10.1007/s10826-017-0719-3


Blair, R. J. R. (2004). The roles of orbital frontal cortex in the modulation of antisocial behavior. Brain and Cognition, 55, 198–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0278-2626(03)00276-8


Blanchard, A., & Lyons, M. (2016). Sex differences between primary and secondary psychopathy, parental bonding, and attachment style. Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences, 10(1), 56. https://doi.org/10.1037/ebs0000065


Bommel, R. V., Uzieblo, K., Bogaerts, S., & Garofalo, C. (2018). Psychopathic traits and deviant sexual interests: The moderating role of gender. International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 17(3), 256–271. 10.1080/14999013.2018.1499684


Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss (Vol. 1). Basic Books.


Bowlby, J. (1980). Loss: Sadness & depression. Attachment and loss (Vol. 3, Ser. International psycho-analytical library). Hogarth Press.


Brewer, G., Bennett, C., Davidson, L., Ireen, A., Phipps, A., Stewart-Wilkes, D., & Wilson, B. (2018). Dark triad traits and romantic relationship attachment, accommodation, and control. Personality and Individual Differences, 120, 202–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.09.008


Brown, W. G., Harris, O. T., & Craig, J. K. T. (2018). Exploration of the influence of insecure attachment and parental maltreatment on the incidence and course of adult clinical depression. Psychological Medicine, 49(6), 1025-1032. doi:10.1017/S0033291718001721


Carlson, M., Oshri, A., & Kwon, J. (2015). Child maltreatment and risk behaviors: The roles of callous/unemotional traits and conscientiousness. Child Abuse & Neglect, 50, 234–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.07.003


Christian, E., Sellbom, M., & Wilkinson R. B. (2019). Evaluating the association between psychopathy and specific attachment models in adults. Journal of Personality Disorders, 33(1), 1-S16. doi: 10.1521/pedi_2018_32_325


Christian, E., Sellbom, M., & Wilkinson, R. B. (2017). Clarifying the associations between individual differences in general attachment styles and psychopathy. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 8(4), 329–339. https://doi.org/10.1037/per0000206


Christian, E., Sellbom, M., & Wilkinson, R. B. (2018). Is psychopathy associated with deficits in bonding in an adult noninstitutionalized sample? The association between intimate social network size, attachment behavior, and psychopathy. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36(7), 1996–2014. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407518775239


Coid, J., Yang, M., Ullrich, S., Roberts, A., & Hare, R. D. (2009). Prevalence and correlates of psychopathic traits in the household population of Great Britain. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 32(2), 65–73. 10.1016/j.ijlp.2009.01.002


Conradi, H. J., Boertien, S. D., Cavus, H., & Verschuere, B. (2016). Examining psychopathy from an attachment perspective: The role of fear of rejection and abandonment. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 27(1), 92–109. https://doi.org/10.1080/14789949.2015.1077264


Constant, E., Christophe, V. , Bodenmann, G., & Nandrino, J. (2018). Attachment orientation and relational intimacy: The mediating role of emotional competences.Current Psychology, 40, 1374–1385. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-018-0062-x


Daversa, M. T. (2010). Early environmental predictors of the affective and interpersonal constructs of psychopathy. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 54, 6–21. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X08328754


Edens, J. F., Campbell, J. S., & Weir, J. M. (2007). Youth psychopathy and criminal recidivism: A meta-analysis of the psychopathy checklist measures. Law and Human Behavior, 31, 53–75. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10979-006-9019-y


Fearon, R. M. P., & Roisman, G. I. (2017). Attachment theory: Progress and future directions. Current Opinion in Psychology, 15, 131–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.03.002


Fraley, R. C., Heffernan, M. E., Vicary, A. M., & Brumbaugh, C. C. (2011). The experiences in close relationships-relationship structures questionnaire: A method for assessing attachment orientations across relationships. Psychological Assessment, 23, 615-625. 10.1037/a0022898


Gander, M., Sevecke, K., & Buchheim, A. (2018). Disorder‐specific attachment characteristics and experiences of childhood abuse and neglect in adolescents with anorexia nervosa and a major depressive episode. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 25(6), 894–906. 10.1002/cpp.2324


George, C., Kaplan, N., & Main, M. (1985). The Adult Attachment Interview. Unpublished manuscript. Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley.


Grady, M. D., Looman, J., & Abracen, J. (2019). Childhood abuse, attachment, and psychopathy among individuals who commit sexual offenses. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 26(1–2), 77–102. https://doi.org/10.1080/10720162.2019.1620660


Hansen, L. A., Waage, L., Eid, J., Johnsen, H. B., & Hart, S. (2011). The relationship between attachment, personality and antisocial tendencies in a prison sample: A pilot study. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 52, 268–276. 10.1111/j.1467-9450.2010.00864.x


Hare, R. D. (2003). Manual for the Hare psychopathy checklist – Revised (2nd ed.). Multi-Health Systems.


Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. R. (1987). Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(3), 511–524. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.52.3.511


Howell, H. K., Cater, K. A., Miller-Graff, E. L., Schwartz, E. L., & Graham-Bermann, A. S. (2017). The relationship between types of childhood victimization and young adulthood criminality. Criminal Behavior and Mental Health, 27, 341-353. 10.1002/cbm.2002.


Kastner, R. M., & Sellbom, M. (2012). Hypersexuality in college students: The role of
psychopathy. Personality and Individual Differences, 53(5), 644–649. 10.1016/j.paid.2012.05.005


Kennealy, P. J., Skeem, J. L., Walters, G. D., & Camp, J. (2010). Do core interpersonal and affective traits of PCL-R psychopathy interact with antisocial behavior and disinhibition to predict violence? Psychological Assessment, 22(3), 569–580. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019618


Kochanska, G., Barry, R. A., Stellern, A. S., & O’Bleness, J. J. (2009). Early attachment organization moderates the parent–child mutually coercive pathway to children’s antisocial conduct. Child Development, 80 (4), 1288-1300. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01332.x


Krause-Utz, A., Erol, E., Brousianou, A.V., Cackowski, S., Paret, C., Ende, G., & Elzinga, B. (2019). Self-reported impulsivity in women with borderline personality disorder: The role of childhood maltreatment severity and emotion regulation difficulties. Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation, 6, Article 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-019-0101-8


Labadie, C., Godbout, N., Vaillancourt-Morel, M., & Sabourin, S. (2018). Adult profiles of child sexual abuse survivors: Attachment insecurity, sexual compulsivity, and sexual avoidance. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 44(4), 354–369. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2017.1405302


Levenson, M. R., Kiehl, K. A, & Fitzpatrick, C. M. (1995). Assessing psychopathic attributes in a noninstitutionalized population. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68(1), 151–158. 10.1037/0022-3514.68.1.151


Liu, R.T. (2019). Childhood maltreatment and impulsivity: A meta-analysis and recommendations for future study. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 47, 221–243. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-018-0445-3


Lynam, D. R. (1999). Self-reported psychopathy: A validation study. Journal of Personality Assessment, 73(1), 110–132. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327752JPA730108


Mack, T. D., Hackney, A. A., & Pyle, M. (2011). The relationship between psychopathic traits and attachment behavior in a non-clinical population. Personality and Individual Differences, 51(5), 584–588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2011.05.019


Main, M., Kaplan, N., & Cassidy, J. (1985). Security in infancy, childhood, and adulthood: A move to the level of representation. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 50, 66–104. https://doi.org/10.2307/3333827


Martin, J., Raby, L. K., Labella, H. M., & Roisman, I. G. (2017). Childhood abuse and neglect, attachment states of mind, and non-suicidal self-injury. Attachment and Human Development, 19(5), 425–446. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2017.1330832


Mooney, R., Ireland, J. L., & Lewis, M. (2019). Understanding interpersonal relationships and psychopathy. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 30(4), 658–685. 10.1080/14789949.2019.1615102


Muñoz, L. C., Kerr, M., & Besic, N. (2008). The peer relationships of youths with psychopathic personality traits: A matter of perspective. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 35(2), 212–227. 10. 1177/0093854807310159


Neumann, C. S., & Hare, R. D. (2008). Psychopathic traits in a large community sample: Links to violence, alcohol use, and intelligence. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76(5), 893–899. 10.1037/0022-006X.76.5.893


Ometto, M., de Oliveira, A. P., Milioni, L. A., dos Santos B., Scivoletto S., Busatto, F. G., Nunes, V. P., & Cunha, J. P. (2016). Social skills and psychopathic traits in maltreated adolescents. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 25, 397–405. 10.1007/s00787-015-0744-y


Oshri, A., Sutton, T. E., Clay-Warner, J., & Miller, J. D. (2015). Child maltreatment types and risk behaviors: Associations with attachment style and emotion regulation dimensions. Personality and Individual Differences, 73, 127–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.09.015


Patrick, C. J. (2007). Antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy. In W. O'Donohue, K. A. Fowler, & S. O. Lilienfeld (Eds.), Personality disorders: Toward the DSM-V (p. 109–166). Sage Publications, Inc. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483328980.n6


Schimmenti, A., Passanisi, A., Pace, U., Manzella, S., Di Carlo, G., & Caretti, V. (2014). The relationship between attachment and psychopathy: A study with a sample of violent offenders. Current Psychology, 33(3), 256-270. 10.1007/s12144-014-9211-z


Sellbom, M. (2011). Elaborating on the construct validity of the Levenson self-report psychopathy scale in incarcerated and non-incarcerated samples. Law and Human Behavior, 35, 440-451. 10.1007/s10979-010-9249-x


Shaver, P. R., & Mikulincer, M. (2002). Attachment-related psychodynamics. Attachment & Human Development, 4(2), 133–161. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616730210154171


Shi, Z., Bureau, J. F., Easterbrooks, M. A., Zhao, X., & Lyons-Ruth, K. (2012). Childhood maltreatment and prospectively observed quality of early care as predictors of antisocial personality disorder features. Infant Mental Health Journal, 33(1), 55–69. 10.1002/imhj.20295


Shin, H. S., McDonald, E. S., & Conley, D. (2018). Profiles of adverse childhood experiences and impulsivity. Child Abuse & Neglect, 85, 118–126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.07.028


Stover, C., Choi, M. J., & Mayes, L. C. (2018). The moderating role of attachment on the association between childhood maltreatment and adolescent dating violence. Children and Youth Services Review, 94, 679-688. 10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.09.011


Stronach, E. P., Toth, S. L., Rogosch, F., Oshri, A., Manly, J. T., & Cicchetti, D. (2011). Child maltreatment, attachment security, and internal representations of mother and mother-child relationships. Child Maltreatment, 16(2), 137-45. 10.1177/1077559511398294.


Thibodeau, M., Lavoie, F., Hébert, M., & Blais, M. (2017). Pathways Linking Childhood Maltreatment and Adolescent Sexual Risk Behaviors: The Role of Attachment Security. The Journal of Sex Research, 54(8), 994–1005. 10.1080/00224499.2017.1316816


van der Zouwen, M., Hoeve, M., Hendriks, A. M., Asscher, J. J., & Stams, G. J. J. M. (2018). The association between attachment and psychopathic traits. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 43, 45–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2018.09.002


Viding, E., & McCrory, E. J. (2018). Understanding the development of psychopathy: Progress and challenges. Psychological Medicine, 48(4), 566 – 577. 10.1017/S0033291717002847


Visser, B. A., DeBow, V., Pozzebon, J. A., Bogaert, Anthony. F., & Book, A. (2014). Psychopathic sexuality: The thin line between fantasy and reality. Journal of Personality, 83(4), 376–388. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12110


Vitacco, M. J., Neumann, C. S., & Pardini, D. A. (2014). Predicting future criminal offending in a community-based sample of males using self-reported psychopathy. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 41, 345–363. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854813500488


Walsh, H. C., Roy, S., & Lasslett, H. E. (2019). Differences and similarities in how psychopathic traits predict attachment insecurity in females and males. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral, 41(4), 537-548. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-018-9704-4


Weinfeld, N. S., Sroufe, L. A., & Egeland, B. (2000). Attachment from infancy to early adulthood in a high-risk sample: Continuity, discontinuity, and their correlates. Child Development, 71(3), 695–702. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00178


Widom, C. S., Czaja, J. S., Kozakowski, S. S., & Chauhan, P. (2018). Does adult attachment style mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and mental and physical health outcomes? Child Abuse and Neglect, 76, 533-545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.05.002

Published

2023-02-24