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On the Relation Between General Intelligence and Psychopathic Traits: An Examination of Inpatient Adolescents

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Abstract

A substantial literature has investigated relations between intelligence and psychopathic traits. At the construct level, findings have been mixed, with a small negative relation found. At the facet level however, a positive relation between verbal intelligence and the interpersonal facet of psychopathy, and a negative relation between verbal intelligence and the lifestyle factor of psychopathy emerge. To date, this research has largely neglected adolescents and prior research has focused on clinical and incarcerated populations, while failing to control for psychopathology. The current study sought to address these limitations by examining the relation between intelligence and psychopathy at the construct, facet, and trait level in a sample of inpatient adolescents. At the bivariate level, verbal intelligence was related to dishonest charm, unemotionality, impulsiveness, and manipulation. In regression analyses, however, verbal intelligence lost significance as a predictor of all but impulsiveness. Gender and severity of psychopathology accounted for most significant relations.

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Notes

  1. Full Scale IQ was left out of this model, despite being related at the bivariate level, because it is a composite score that encompasses both VCI and WMI.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Campus Box 2447, Huntsville, TX, 77340, USA

    Nicholas Kavish, Cassandra Bailey & Amanda Venta

  2. Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Houston, 3695 Cullen Blvd, Room 126, Houston, TX, 77340, USA

    Carla Sharp

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  1. Nicholas Kavish
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  2. Cassandra Bailey
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  3. Carla Sharp
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  4. Amanda Venta
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Correspondence to Amanda Venta.

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Kavish, N., Bailey, C., Sharp, C. et al. On the Relation Between General Intelligence and Psychopathic Traits: An Examination of Inpatient Adolescents. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 49, 341–351 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-017-0754-8

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