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an examination of the factor structure of the psychopathy checklist

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male youth employed could be a contributing <strong>factor</strong> to <strong>the</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> a signific<strong>an</strong>t<br />

relationship between <strong>psychopathy</strong> <strong>an</strong>d <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> proactive violence in <strong>the</strong>ir female<br />

sample as well. For inst<strong>an</strong>ce, <strong>the</strong> female youth in Cook et al.’s (2010) sample may have<br />

engaged in violence that was relatively minor or less serious as compared to <strong>the</strong><br />

violence that <strong>the</strong> male youth engaged in.<br />

Ano<strong>the</strong>r expl<strong>an</strong>ation for <strong>the</strong> present study’s finding that <strong>psychopathy</strong> was not<br />

related to <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> instrumental aggression in <strong>the</strong> current sample stems from our<br />

underst<strong>an</strong>ding <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> characteristics <strong>of</strong> young individuals in general. Unsurprisingly,<br />

childhood <strong>an</strong>d adolescence have been associated with decreased executive control<br />

(i.e., increased impulsivity) <strong>an</strong>d sensation seeking (Jonkm<strong>an</strong>, 2006; Steinberg et al.,<br />

2008). Certainly, <strong>the</strong> high percentage (82.9%) <strong>of</strong> violent <strong>of</strong>fences that contain at least<br />

some element <strong>of</strong> reactivity in <strong>the</strong> present study suggest that <strong>the</strong>se female youth are<br />

acting on <strong>the</strong>ir immediate impulses, without prior pl<strong>an</strong>ning or forethought. Logically,<br />

research among justice involved youth has highlighted <strong>the</strong> import<strong>an</strong>ce <strong>of</strong> considering<br />

impulsivity in youths (e.g., Pardini, Lochm<strong>an</strong>, & Frick, 2003). In fact, youth with high<br />

levels <strong>of</strong> psychopathic traits may be more generally impulsive th<strong>an</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir adult<br />

counterparts, which helps to explain why <strong>the</strong>se female youth do not appear to reduce or<br />

control <strong>the</strong>ir impulsivity to <strong>the</strong> same extent during <strong>of</strong>fences as some adults. On a similar<br />

note, it may be that <strong>the</strong> level <strong>of</strong> instrumentality in <strong>the</strong>se youth is masked by <strong>the</strong>ir high<br />

degree <strong>of</strong> impulsivity. Indeed, <strong>the</strong> measures used to assess instrumentality may not be<br />

sensitive enough to capture relatively low levels <strong>of</strong> instrumentality.<br />

Prior research among both adult <strong>an</strong>d youth samples has indicated that Factor 1<br />

scores, namely <strong>the</strong> interpersonal (i.e., Facet 1) <strong>an</strong>d affective (i.e., Facet 2) features, are<br />

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