Validity,Stability,and Change in Psychopathic Traits in Older Adults: A Registered Report

Abstract

Despite the importance of psychopathy—a construct with robust relations with externalizing outcomes—little is known about how psychopathic traits manifest in middle-age to older adulthood. In the present investigation, we used a large and diverse sample of older adults from the St. Louis Personality and Aging Network to examine psychopathy’s nomological network and whether these traits change over four time points spanning approximately 10 years. We also explored whether these changes were associated with changes in other important constructs (e.g., physical and psychological functioning) across the same time span. Psychopathy was operationalized in two ways: (a) via the factors of the triarchic psychopathy model, Meanness, Disinhibition, and Boldness, and (b) using a more macro approach via the Five-Factor Model Psychopathy Resemblance Index. We found that (a) the nomological network of psychopathy appears to be consistent with what has been observed in samples of younger adults, (b) psychopathic traits remain stable over time as adults make the transition from midlife to later life, and (c) changes that were observed are significantly related to changes in several important outcomes, including physical health, mental health, relationship satisfaction, intimate-partner aggression, and social functioning.

Keywords

psychopathy aging triarchic psychopathy model five-factor model personality disorders preregistration

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