Psychopathy in Children

Our society is obsessed with psychopaths. Though they only make up about 1% of the population, our fascination with the cunningly cold, apathetic, and manipulative individuals is highlighted through a variety of movies and TV shows (Silence of the Lambs, Dexter, and Criminal Minds, just to name a few) and our morbid curiosity for the criminals who use these skills to their advantage. A number of particular characteristics are needed for determining if one is a psychopath, with limited help from the DSM-5 (the closest category to psychopathy is Antisocial Personality Disorder and while there is overlap, they are still considered two distinct diagnoses). However, the lines are blurred even more when it is children who are exhibiting the psychopathic tendencies and traits.

Photo by Faye Domokos

            In May of 2011, the New York Times released an article entitled “Can You Call a 9-Year-Old a Psychopath” in which Jennifer Kahn from the University Of California Berkeley Graduate School Of Journalism follows one family and their summer-long struggle of coming to terms with a callous-unemotional child. 9-year-old Michael had seen countless psychologists and received an array of different diagnoses from A.D.D. to depression to bipolar disorder for his tantrums, defiance, and unsettling ability to switch from rage to cold, collected charm. Finally, he received the diagnosis of “callous-unemotional” or C.U., which is about as close to psychopathy as any psychologist wants to get, though it encompasses nearly all of the same criteria (decreased sensitivity to punishment, uncaring, etc.) and serves as a predictor for psychopathy later in life.

            It is estimated that the national cost of psychopathy (from court fees to detainment to therapy) amounts to $460 billion annually. Indeed, there is a financial and moral responsibility to find a way to detect individuals who may pose a serious threat to society as soon as possible, but at what age can psychologists say that a child is a bona fide psychopath who is on route to being a danger? Up until their mid-twenties, people are still developing, their brains still maturing; two of the key traits of psychopathy are narcissism and impulsiveness, which are common in any child. In addition, the risks that are associated with labeling a child or young adult a psychopath could be detrimental and can lead the individual to a self-fulfilling prophesy in which s/he becomes the monster everyone expects him/her to grow into.

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            In his book, The Psychopath Inside: A Neuroscientist’s Personal Journey into the Dark Side of the Brain, distinguished neuroscientist and self-diagnosed “prosocial psychopath” (225) James Fallon discusses several key matters about his life and history with psychopathy.  While he displays many of the psychopathic interpersonal, affective, and behavioral traits (superficiality, lacking remorse or empathy, impulsivity, etc.), Fallon still lacks the antisocial characteristics (a criminal record or desire to cause harm, for example). “I’m lucky because of my nurturing family, with a kind and loving father and an insightful mother who saw a son in trouble early on and guided him gently” (225), Fallon states, attributing his success to his upbringing. His parents and teachers could sense from an early age that he needed special attention and though there is no way to truly ever account for his ability to conquer the darker side of psychopathy, Fallon is thankful that he had the love and social support from the very start.

            As Kahn certainly notes in the article, it can be extremely difficult for a parent to work with a callous-unemotional child and all too often, the unconditional love and support of a parent can wear down to an authoritarian shield. The child is met with less and less patience and positive regard and can act out even more aggressively to match the hardness of the parent. It is here that may mark the split between a James Fallon and a psychopathic criminal.

            There is still so much to learn about the causes and mechanisms of psychopathy and in children, the distinctions are even more difficult. While genetic predispositions are certainly a factor, it is the environment in which a callous-unemotional child grows up in that may be one of the few variables for which parents can control and attempt to make a difference through. It is difficult to say what may happen with 9 year-old Michael whose behavior by the end of the summer had actually worsened, but there may still perhaps be hope for him if he can find the love and support James Fallon did.

Written by Faye Domokos, a second-year Biology/Psychology major from Loyola University Chicago.

References:

Fallon, J. (2013). The Psychopath Inside: A Neuroscientist's Personal Journey into the Dark Side of the Brain. New York: Penguin.

Kahn, J. (2012, May 11). Can you call a 9-year-old a psychopath? New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/magazine/can-you-call-a-9-year-old-a-psychopath.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&