The influence of interpersonal traumatic experiences on social behavior and the moderating effect of antagonism in adults who exhibit antisocial behavior

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Linda Scholten
 

Netherlands

: Int J Ment Health Psychiatry

Abstract

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Despite the social and emotional burden for society, antisocial behavior is often an exclusion criterion for scientific research and treatment. To understand more of antisocial behavior we focus in this study on prosocial behavior. The most widely studied personality characteristic in relation to prosocial behavior is Social Value Orientation which is about cooperation in interdependent situations. Trust is one of the core concepts of prosocial behavior. Interpersonal traumatic experiences can diminish trusting others. Antisocial behavior can then be explained by a lack of trust in others. In the current research, we examine whether interpersonal traumatic experiences are related to antisocial behavior and whether this relation is moderated by the personality trait antagonism. For this a multiple regression was used. Remarkably it turns out that the majority of the participants, who exhibited antisocial behavior, were categorized as prosocial. People who exhibit antisocial behavior show also components of prosocial behavior. This allows for a more heterogeneous view on patients with antisocial problems. It was also found that antagonism had a moderating effect on the relation between interpersonal traumatic experiences and antisocial behavior what is in line with our hypothesis.

Biography

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