Trajectories of Psychopathic Traits, Anxiety, and Violence Exposure Differentially Predict Antisociality in Legal System-Involved Youth

Psychopathic traits are associated with several forms of antisociality, including criminal offending, legal system involvement, and substance use. Some research suggests that primary (high psychopathic traits, low negative emotions) versus secondary (high psychopathic traits, high negative emotions and/or negative experiences and environments) variants confer different levels of risk for antisociality. However, research has not examined trajectories of co-occurring fluctuations in psychopathic traits, negative emotions, and negative experiences and environments or how trajectory membership relates to antisociality. We implemented group-based multi-trajectory modeling in a sample of 809 justice-involved male ( n = 681) and female ( n = 128) youth from the Pathways to Desistance Study to address these gaps. We identified four trajectories of co-occurring change in psychopathic traits, anxiety, and violence exposure spanning three years: Low (low levels of each factor); Moderate Psychopathic Traits, High Negative Emotions and Experiences (moderate-decreasing psychopathic traits and high-decreasing anxiety/violence exposure); Potential Primary Psychopathic Traits (elevated-decreasing psychopathic traits, moderate-decreasing anxiety, moderate-stable violence exposure); and High/Secondary Psychopathic Traits (high-stable psychopathic traits, elevated-stable anxiety, high-decreasing violence exposure). Compared to the Low trajectory, all trajectories predicted greater violent crime and substance use three and four years later. Additionally, compared to the Low trajectory, the Potential Primary Psychopathic Traits trajectory predicted more nonviolent offending three years later. Finally, the High/Secondary Psychopathic Traits trajectory showed the most persistent antisociality, predicting more nonviolent crime, higher substance dependence symptoms, and higher likelihood of arrest three and four years later. Youth with co-occurring high psychopathic traits, anxiety, and violence exposure appear most at risk for severe antisociality.