%0 Journal Article
%T Psychological and behavioral adjustment in female youths with high or low psychopathic traits
%J International journal of law and psychiatry
%D 2014
%A Pechorro, Pedro Santos
%A Poiares, Carlos Alberto
%A Vieira, Rui Xavier
%A Maroco, João
%A Nunes, Cristina
%A de Jesus, Saul Neves
%V 37
%N 6
%P 619-627
%X The aim of the present study was to analyze the role of psychopathic traits in female juvenile delinquency. Using a sample of 236 young females from the Juvenile Detention Centers of the Portuguese Ministry of Justice and schools in the Lisbon area, a group of female youths with high psychopathic traits (n=118; M=15.84years of age; range=14-18years of age) and a group of female youths with low psychopathic traits (n=118; M=15.77years of age; range=14-18years of age) were formed based on the Portuguese version of the Antisocial Process Screening Device-Self-report (APSD-SR). The results showed that young females with high psychopathic traits start engaging in criminal activities and come into contact with the justice system earlier in life; exhibit higher levels of behavioral problems, conduct disorder, delinquent behaviors and serious criminality; and demonstrate lower levels of self-esteem and pro-social behavior. The importance of some variables in predicting group membership (high versus low psychopathic traits) was established through a binary logistic regression. Our findings reinforce the importance of the psychopathy construct for the early identification of potentially high-risk female youths and for the assessment of female youths who have already come into contact with the judicial system.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Elsevier Publishing
%@ 0160-2527
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2014.02.036