Can Certain Psychopathic Traits Protect Against Depressive Features?

Shauna Bowes is a recent graduate who majored in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. She was awarded a Fall 2016 Independent Grant which she used to conduct research in psychopathy and depression under Dr. Scott Lilienfeld.

Because depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States, affecting approximately 15.7 million Americans in 2014 alone (National Institute of Mental Health, 2014), it is important to identify personality variables that may protect against depressive features. Perhaps surprisingly, one such protective mechanism may be a subset of personality traits comprising psychopathic personality (psychopathy). Psychopathy is a multidimensional construct that comprises a constellation of interpersonal, affective, and behavioral features such as social charm, guiltlessness, impulsivity, callousness, antisociality, and erratic lifestyle.

The bold and fearless elements of psychopathy seem to protect against the development of depression, in so far as these features negatively correlate with depressive symptoms; in contrast, the disinhibited and antisocial elements of psychopathy seem to confer risk for depression, in so far as these features positively correlate with depressive symptoms (e.g., Brislin et al., 2015). Furthermore, the role of gender in these relations requires clarification. The majority of gender differences research surrounding psychopathy and depression has focused on mean level differences in traits or symptoms, respectively. Men consistently score higher on psychopathy measures than do women (e.g., Lilienfeld & Hess, 2001) and women score higher on depression measures than do men (e.g., Hankin & Abramson, 2001). Nevertheless, mean level differences do not address how, if at all, psychopathy and depression manifest across genders, and little research has examined this possibility (but see Blonigen et al., 2005). 

My honors thesis will expand upon previous research concerning psychopathy and depression using two large racially-diverse community samples (n1=306; n2=~400). Previous studies examining the relations between psychopathy and depression have relied largely on forensic and clinical populations. Our rationale for examining these relations among a community population is as follows: the generalizability of extant findings to more normative (i.e., community) populations is potentially limited. Thus, my honors thesis will contribute to the research investigating the intersection between pathological personality and emotion disorders, in this case psychopathy and depression. It is essential to analyze a wide array of potential factors that either protect against or confer risk for depression. 

Over the course of the semester, it has been truly incredible to be so involved in the research process. Working on this project from start to finish has been a fascinating, challenging, and rewarding experience. One of the most valuable pieces of insight I have gained is learning how to not only intellectually reason through a project idea, but also to reason through the limitations and excesses of the project idea. Essentially, some elements of the project will be constrained due to time, finances, etc., and these constraints cannot deter the project or set you back as a researcher. It is critical to work through these limitations. In addition, it is equally important to realize when you have too many ideas. Including excessive analyses or trying to tell all parts of the story is an insurmountable task that only harms your research instead of enhancing it. I am extremely grateful to have begun learning such lessons so early in my research career. 

It has also been incredible to do analyses independently. While I still greatly rely on my brilliant (and patient!) mentors to assist and support with the statistical analyses, I have finally developed the foundational skills to be able to conduct certain analyses on my own. It is thrilling to see the results after having done the calculations myself. Even when a result didn’t turn out significant, it was amazing to see some of the initial end results. In the future, I hope to continue researching the topics I investigate in my honors thesis, as my honors thesis has further broadened my research horizons. I also look forward to presenting my thesis to both my committee and the Emory community at large in my oral defense and poster presentation, respectively. I have given three poster presentations as an undergraduate, all of which have been at Emory conferences (SIRE, NBB, & SURE), and I thoroughly enjoy communicating with the Emory community about science and my research.

I am looking forward to continuing to face the challenges that present themselves, as I am sure they will, and to continuing exploring the fascinating datasets. Getting involved in undergraduate research, in particular Dr. Scott Lilienfeld’s and Dr. Helen Mayberg’s labs, has been one the best decisions of my life. I am forever grateful to their wonderful research teams that have supported me with this project. I hope to continue growing as a researcher through this process, and I am eager to see my final results in the spring.

Visit the Undergraduate Research Programs website to learn more about applying for Independent Research Grants.