Author: Aneeza Sarwar
Supervisor: Rukhsana Kausar, PhD & Farah Malik, PhD
Degree: MPhil
Year: 2011-2013
University: Institute of Applied Psychology, Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan
Abstract
The present study examined psychopathic tendencies of adolescents in terms of its predictors. It was hypothesized that a parental involvement/control, childhood conduct problems and aggression are likely to predict psychopathic tendencies in adolescents, b: childhood conduct problems and aggression are likely to mediate the relationship between parental involvement/control and psychopathic tendencies, c: there are likely to be gender differences in psychopathic tendencies of adolescents. The sample composed of 200 students selected from different academies of Lahore. The age range of the students was 14-18 years (M = 16.07, SD = 1.27). The data were collected by using Childhood Psychopathy Scale (Lynam, 1997), Child Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (control (to assess parental involvement and parental control); (Rohner & Khaleque), Peer conflict Scale (Marsee & Frick, 2007) and a self-developed childhood conduct problems questionnaire based on the DSM-V criteria of conduct disorder. The data were analyzed using, Pearson product moment correlation, mediation path analyses, independent samples t-test and two-way ANOVA. The results showed that parental involvement and childhood conduct problems were strong predictors of psychopathic tendencies in adolescents. Meditational analysis further revealed that childhood conduct problems mediated the relationship between parental involvement and psychopathic tendencies. Significant gender differences were found in psychopathic tendencies of adolescents i.e., boys were found to have more psychopathic tendencies as compared to girls. The findings of the present study indicate the prevalence and predictors of psychopathic tendencies in students which are of great significance for early prevention and management of these tendencies in adolescents.
Keywords: Parental involvement/control, childhood conduct problems, aggression, psychopathic tendencies, adolescents.
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Corresponding Address: Department of Applied Psychology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Email: chairperson@appsy.pu.edu.pk, Phone: 92-42-9231245
