Are there age-related effects in antisocial personality disorders and psychopathy?

Huchzermeier, Christian; Geiger, Friedemann; Köhler, Denis; Bruß, Emelie; Godt, Nils; Hinrichs, Günter; Aldenhoff, Josef B.

doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2007.10.002

« Previous Next »Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Volume 15, Issue 4 , Pages 213-218, May 2008

Are there age-related effects in antisocial personality disorders and psychopathy?

Christian Huchzermeier, MD (Psychiatrist & Psychotherapist, Vice Director)
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Christian Albrechts University Kiel, Niemannsweg 147, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
- Corresponding author.
Friedemann Geiger, PhD (Clinical Psychologist)
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Christian Albrechts University Kiel, Niemannsweg 147, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel Schwanenweg 20, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
Denis Köhler, PhD (Clinical Psychologist, Vertretungsprofessur)
- Department of Psychology Individual Differences and Psychological Diagnostic, University Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 11, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
Emelie Bruß, MA (Clinical Psychologist)
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Christian Albrechts University Kiel, Niemannsweg 147, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
Nils Godt, MA (Clinical Psychologist)
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Christian Albrechts University Kiel, Niemannsweg 147, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
Günter Hinrichs, MA, MD (Psychiatrist & Psychotherapist, Clinical Psychologist)
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Christian Albrechts University Kiel, Niemannsweg 147, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
Josef B. Aldenhoff, MD (Professor, Director)
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Christian Albrechts University Kiel, Niemannsweg 147, D-24105 Kiel, Germany

Received 13 April 2007; accepted 8 October 2007.

Abstract

We investigated possible age differences in the frequency of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), and of psychopathy according to Hare’s criteria and its constituent features: In a cross-sectional study 226 male violent offenders, detained in adult or youth custody, were investigated using the Psychopathy Checklist Screening Version (PCL:SV) and the SCID II Interview. Their ages ranged from 18 to 59 years. Total PCL:SV score was negatively correlated with age. ANOVA showed that total PCL scores for three age groups differed significantly. Both effects were due entirely to Factor 2 of the PCL. Factor 1 was not related to age. The frequency of ASPD was also lower among older prisoners. The relationship with age was similar to that of PCL:SV Factor 2.

These results point to age-related effects in psychopathy and suggest that different aspects of psychopathy follow different developmental courses. The results of our group comparison suggest that the different subfacets of psychopathy are not stable over time to the same extent. In order to make statements about the course of intraindividual development, however, longitudinal studies would be required.

Keywords: Psychopathy, Age-related differences, Violent offenders