Can children be psychopaths? A Scottish case involving a potential child psychopath.

While the concept of psychopathy has historically been associated with adults, contemporary research suggests that children can indeed exhibit psychopathic traits. Psychopathy in children is often referred to as “juvenile psychopathy” which has gained recent popularity in psychological literature. Researchers have now examined various aspects of its manifestation and developmental paths in children.

One study in this area was conducted by Frick and colleagues (2014) who examined the developmental pathways and outcomes of children displaying psychopathic traits. The study utilized longitudinal data from a large sample of children to investigate the stability of psychopathic traits from childhood to adolescence and adulthood. Findings indicated that while psychopathic traits in children may manifest differently compared to adults, they demonstrate notable stability over time, with implications for long-term behavioural and social outcomes.

Research by Viding and McCrory (2012) looked at the neurobiological basis of juvenile psychopathy, exploring the relationship between “normal” brain functioning and the brain functioning of children displaying psychopathic traits. Their findings suggested that neural processing, particularly in regions implicated in emotion regulation and…