Psychopathic Traits and Interpersonal Dysfunction: A Preregistered Investigation Using the Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality

Although the association between psychopathy and interpersonal dysfunction is well established, few studies have examined this relationship at the symptom level. Emerging research indicates that examining specific psychopathic symptoms yields nuanced insights into their associations with interpersonal outcomes. Building on this research, the current study assessed whether individual symptoms of psychopathy offer meaningful, incremental value in predicting interpersonal dysfunction in a community sample (N = 250). Multiple methods of assessment were used, including the clinician-rated Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality Symptom Rating Scale, alongside informant-reported, self-reported, and objective outcome measures. Results indicated that symptom-based assessment of psychopathy added incremental validity over higher-order domains. Items demonstrated significant associations with indicators of interpersonal dysfunction, superior model fit in regression analyses and higher importance in dominance analyses. Our findings underscore the need for future research to adopt multimethod approaches, emphasizing individual psychopathic symptoms to enhance understanding of psychopathy and its impact on interpersonal functioning.