Distinctiveness of Reactive and Proactive Aggression from a Variable- and Person-based Approach in Juvenile Offenders and Community Youth.

The goal of this study was to examine the distinctiveness of reactive aggression (RA) and proactive aggression (PA) from a variable- and person-based approach, their psychosocial correlates and behavioral outcomes, and analyze their replicability across two samples of adolescents. The forensic sample was composed of 231 juvenile offenders and the community sample included 321 youth. At a variable-based level, the results of the factor analysis supported the original two-factor model of aggression, and RA and PA showed differential associations with a set of psychosocial correlates and behavioral outcomes. At a person-based level, three subgroups were identified, namely low aggression, moderate RA, and mixed aggression. The mixed aggression group showed the most severe profile in both samples. These results support the distinctiveness of RA and PA at a variable-based level but lead to consider PA as a severity marker rather than a distinct subgroup at a person-based level.

Gender Differences in the Personality Correlates of Reactive and Proactive Aggression in a Spanish Sample of Young Adults.

Since the conceptual distinction of reactive and proactive aggression has been proposed, numerous studies have tried to disentangle the correlates of each function of aggression. While reactive aggression tends to be more strongly related to impulsivity, angry reactivity, or hostility, proactive aggression has proved to be more associated with psychopathic traits and goal-directed behaviors. However, in addition to the current debate about the actual distinction of reactive and proactive aggression, the study of gender differences is still scarce. Thus, the aim of the current study is to evaluate the distinctiveness of reactive and proactive aggression by means of the examination of their differential personality correlates (i.e., HEXACO, psychopathic traits, and impulsivity facets), as well as the assessment of gender differences in those relationships. To that end, a sample composed of 326 young adults aged 18-34 was recruited in Spain. The results evidenced unique associations of reactive and proactive aggression with a set of personality traits, including the HEXACO factors, psychopathic traits, and impulsivity facets, both at raw and residual level. Furthermore, when all the variables were entered in the model, proactive aggression remained strongly related to the factor of Honesty/humility and Emotionality, whereas reactive aggression remained associated with the impulsive/irresponsive factor of psychopathy and, specifically, with the facet of negative urgency, as well as with lack of Agreeableness. Likewise, some gender differences emerged as regards certain correlates. Specifically, proactive aggression was related with lack of Agreeableness and sensation seeking only in males and with the impulsive/irresponsive factor of psychopathy only in females, although these differences were not statistically significant. The conceptual and practical implications of these finding are discussed in terms of prevention.

Cogniciones en el lado oscuro: desconexión moral, tríada oscura y conducta antisocial en adolescents / Cognitions on the dark side: Moral disengagement, dark triad and antisocial behavior in adolescents

Resumen En el marco de una tradición de investigación relativamente reciente, ciertos rasgos psicológicos relacionados con diversas conductas socialmente reprobables se han agrupado bajo la denominación de "Factor o lado oscuros de la personalidad". En este contexto, este trabajo estudia la varianza común que pudiera existir entre los tres componentes del constructo tríada oscura (maquiavelismo, narcisismo y psicopatía) y los procesos cognitivos constitutivos del constructo desconexión moral, en orden a relacionarlos con la conducta antisocial de una muestra de 800 adolescentes (M = 15.33, SD = .99; 50.1 % chicos). El análisis factorial exploratorio sugirió retener cuatro factores mediante el Análisis Paralelo de Horn. Estos factores se sometieron a una rotación bifactorial en el contexto exploratorio, y sus índices de ajuste fueron adecuados ꭓ² (1219.42, 737) = 1.65 p < .05; RMSEA = .03 (.01, .05 ); CFI = .98. El análisis factorial confirmatorio de este modelo bifactorial para representar el lado oscuro, obtuvo índices de ajuste óptimos ꭓ² (392.38, 150) = 2.61 p < .05; RMSEA = .04 (.04, .05); CFI = .95; y similar para chicos y chicas. El modelo de ecuaciones estructurales indicó que el "lado oscuro", entendido aquí como las características comunes de la tríada oscura y la desconexión moral, está directa e intensamente relacionado con conductas antisociales en chicas (β = .57, p < .001) y en chicos (β = .54, p < .001). Finalmente, se discuten las implicaciones de estos resultados para la prevención de una amplia gama de conductas antisociales en adolescentes.

Abstract Within the context of a recent research tradition, certain psychological traits related to various socially reprehensible behaviors have been grouped under the name of "Dark Factor or dark side of personality." In this context, this paper studies the common variance that could exist between the three components of the Dark Triad construct (Machiavellianism, Narcissism and Psychopathy) and the constituent cognitive processes of Moral Disengagement construct, in order to relate them to the antisocial behavior of a sample composed of 800 adolescents (M = 15.36, SD = .99; 50.1 % boys). Exploratory factor analysis suggested retaining four factors using Horn Parallel Analysis. These factors were subjected to a bifactorial rotation in the exploratory context, and their fit indices were adequate ꭓ² (1219.42, 737) = 1.65 p <.05; RMSEA = .03 (.01, .05); CFI = .98. The confirmatory factor analysis of this bifactorial model to represent the dark side obtained optimal fit indices ꭓ² (392.38, 150) = 2.61 p <.05; RMSEA = .04 (.04, .05); CFI = .95; similar for boys and girls. The results of the structural equation model indicated that the "dark side", understood here as the common characteristics of the Dark Triad and Moral Disengagement, is directly and intensely related to antisocial behaviors in girls (β = .57, p < .001) and boys (β = .54, p < .001). Finally, the implications of these results for the prevention of a wide range of antisocial behaviors in adolescents are discussed.

Rasgos psicopáticos y prácticas educativas en la predicción de los problemas de conducta infantiles / Pychopathic traits and parenting practices in the prediction of childhood behavioural problems

Tradicionalmente las prácticas educativas disfuncionales han sido confirmadas como una de las fuentes de riesgo más importantes de los problemas de conducta infanto-juveniles. Por otra parte, en la última década se ha corroborado la importancia de la manifestación temprana de rasgos psicopáticos a la hora de delimitar los patrones más graves y persistentes de conducta antisocial. En esta línea, se ha diseñado el presente trabajo a partir de la información proporcionada por padres y profesores de 192 niños entre 6 y 11 años, de los cuales 133 fueron nuevamente evaluados en un seguimiento realizado tres años después. De este modo, se analiza en qué medida rasgos psicopáticos y prácticas parentales permiten predecir el desarrollo de los problemas de conducta, se examinan las posibles interacciones entre variables partiendo de las hipótesis que la escasa literatura sobre el tema ha formulado, y se realiza una aproximación al papel diferencial que rasgos psicopáticos y prácticas parentales parecen jugar en la trayectoria evolutiva de las conductas externalizantes. Los resultados obtenidos constatan la existencia de interacciones entre rasgos psicopáticos y prácticas parentales, de forma que las prácticas educativas pierden poder predictivo sobre los problemas de conducta ante la presencia de rasgos psicopáticos afectivo-interpersonales (AU)

Dysfunctional parenting practices have been evidenced as one of the most important sources of risk for child and adolescent behavioural problems. On the other hand, during the last decade, psychopathic traits have also been shown as important ingredients in order to identify the most severe and persistent patterns of antisocial behaviours. In this line, this study was developed taking into account data collected from parents and teachers about 192 children (aged 6-11 years); a follow up which take place three years later could collect new data on a subsample of 133 children. This study analyzes to what extent psychopathic traits and parenting practices predict the development of behavioural problems. Moreover, interactions among psychopathic traits and family variables are examined, on the basis of the hypotheses suggested by previous studies about the differential role placed by these factors in the developmental pathways of externalizing problems. Results confirm the existence of interactions between psychopathic traits and parenting practices, leading to a loss of influence of educational practices on behavioural problems in the presence of psychopathic affective-interpersonal traits (AU)