Psychopathy subtypes: etiology, characteristics and the importance to identifying variants

Abstract

Traditionally psychopathy is described as a personality disorder characterised by lack of empathy and guilt, shallow affect, manipulation of other people and premeditated and violent antisocial behaviour. The current study analyses the major aspects of psychopathy and provide an overview of most in-fluential existing theories on psychopathy subtypes and their distinguishing features. In this research, we summarize the main traits that allow to differentiate the two variants of psychopathy. We analyse the distinct etiological processes that cause those traits through genetic and environmental processes and the divergences that have emerged about alcohol and substance abuse. Finally, we describe the damage of not differentiating those two variants, specifically, emphasizing that treatment should be different for each variant.