Citation

Coid JW, Yang M. Soc. Psychiatry Psychiatr. Epidemiol. 2011; 46(6): 473-480.

Affiliation

Queen Mary University of London, William Harvey House, 61 Bartholomew Close, London, EC1A 7BE, UK, j.w.coid@qmul.ac.uk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00127-010-0212-4

PMID

20354677

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.

Language: en