The relationship between cortisol, testosterone, and psychopathic traits among adolescents

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Date
2018
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Publisher
University of Alabama Libraries
Abstract

Two hormones, testosterone and cortisol, were examined in relation to psychopathic traits among adolescents. Students were presented with a stressor (pop-quiz) and baseline levels and reactivity of hormonal output were measured. The hypothesis of primary interest in this study was that higher testosterone to cortisol ratios would be predictive of higher levels of psychopathic traits among a group of adolescents, regardless of any main effects of these hormones individually. Results showed null effects, with neither the main effects of cortisol and testosterone nor their interactive effects being reliable predictors of psychopathic traits among the adolescents in this study. Possible reasons for these results, which contradict some findings by previous researchers, are discussed. The results of this study demonstrate the complexity of understanding how hormones relate to a particular set of traits and behaviors, especially in a mixed-gender sample in the midst of puberty. Results also indicate that perhaps cortisol and testosterone do not account for a substantial portion of the variance in psychopathic traits, at least in this particular context, with the pop-quiz stressor used in this study, in the particular population of students’ who participated.

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Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
Keywords
Clinical psychology
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