Endorsement and processing of negative affect among violent psychopathic offenders

This study investigated the relationship between negative affect and psychopathy in a sample of 110 adult violent offenders. Self-report measures of negative affect and cognitive functioning were administered via a computer. In contrast to the majority of previous research, psychopaths were more likely to disclose negative affect, a finding that did not occur with the cognitive measure. Response latencies were used to assess how psychopaths processed negative affect. The response latencies of psychopaths were incongruent with self-report as compared to non-psychopaths. These results suggest that psychopaths can report on affective dimensions, but the processing of negative affect is at minimum different, if not dysfunctional.