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Should Children as Young as Five Years Old be Branded ‘Fledgling Psychopaths’?

May. 14, 2012 2:23pm
Psychologists Discuss Diagnosing Children as Psychopaths

Psychologists researching if children as young as 5 can already be diagnosed as a psychopath. Here is Anthony Perkins from the film Psycho. (Photo: Ronald Grant Archive)

Dan Waschbusch, a Florida International University researcher, has been studying people who exhibit “callous-unemotional” behavior for 10 years. More specifically, he has been researching children with an extreme lack of remorse or empathy who could potentially be labeled as psychopaths.

The New York Times magazine featured the concept of diagnosing children as psychopathic over the weekend, stating that a growing number of psychologists believe this emotional state could be diagnosed in children as young as five. At such a young age, they would be known as “fledgling psychopaths.”

There is currently no standardized test to diagnose a child as psychopathic — and for many reasons adult tests aren’t ideal when applied to youth — but some believe the signs are all there:

In some children, C.U. traits manifest in obvious ways. Paul Frick, a psychologist at the University of New Orleans who has studied risk factors for psychopathy in children for two decades, described one boy who used a knife to cut off the tail of the family cat bit by bit, over a period of weeks. The boy was proud of the serial amputations, which his parents initially failed to notice. “When we talked about it, he was very straightforward,” Frick recalls. “He said: ‘I want to be a scientist, and I was experimenting. I wanted to see how the cat would react.’ ”

In another famous case, a 9-year-old boy named Jeffrey Bailey pushed a toddler into the deep end of a motel swimming pool in Florida. As the boy struggled and sank to the bottom, Bailey pulled up a chair to watch. Questioned by the police afterward, Bailey explained that he was curious to see someone drown. When he was taken into custody, he seemed untroubled by the prospect of jail but was pleased to be the center of attention.

In many children, though, the signs are subtler. Callous-unemotional children tend to be highly manipulative, Frick notes. They also lie frequently — not just to avoid punishment, as all children will, but for any reason, or none. “Most kids, if you catch them stealing a cookie from the jar before dinner, they’ll look guilty,” Frick says. “They want the cookie, but they also feel bad. Even kids with severe A.D.H.D.: they may have poor impulse control, but they still feel bad when they realize that their mom is mad at them.” Callous-unemotional children are unrepentant. “They don’t care if someone is mad at them,” Frick says. “They don’t care if they hurt someone’s feelings.” Like adult psychopaths, they can seem to lack humanity. “If they can get what they want without being cruel, that’s often easier,” Frick observes. “But at the end of the day, they’ll do whatever works best.”

At the same time though, diagnosing a child as a psychopath, fledging psychopath or with the potential to become psychopathic, comes with some weighty follow-up questions. Could your child be diagnosed as psychopathic but really not be? If this ends up being the case, what happens then? Is he or she labeled as such for life? Will they carry around this diagnosis on their medical records? If steps are taken to mitigate these behavioral issues, how will he or she expunge their reputation?

The article doesn’t ignore the fact that this sort of diagnosis is controversial, especially because the brains of children and teens are still developing. Some even said there is really no point in diagnosing it:

“This isn’t like autism, where the child and parents will find support,” Texas A&M University clinical psychologist John Edens observes. “Even if accurate, it’s a ruinous diagnosis. No one is sympathetic to the mother of a psychopath.”

The piece goes on to report those who are more middle of the road, believing that while it is sticky to diagnose a child with such a disorder, the benefits for parents to prepare and instituting some sort of behavioral treatment could make it worth it. Some of these psychologists believe that because the part of the brain that controls empathy is still technically under development at this age, it could be strengthened.

The New York Times piece by Jennifer Kahn, who teaches at the University of California-Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, is lengthy but goes into far greater detail and cases about children who are potentially psychopathic. Read it in full here.

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Comments (68)

1 2
  • 00gabooga
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 7:48pm

    I betcha a bunch of these nut-job kids were still being breast-fed at 3 years old.

    Report this comment

    00gabooga  
    • BlenGeck
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:45pm

      I wish O’buttwad had been diagnosed with this problem when he was young. We would be a LOT better off!

      Report this comment

      BlenGeck  
  • dktrdktr
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 6:37pm

    It would be well to be wary of this. Shrinks are crazier than anyone else and don’t know half as much as they think they know and half of what they do know ain’t true. Show me a shrink who is willing to label a five year old as a fledgling psychopath and I’ll show you a full-fledged psychopath.

    Report this comment

    dktrdktr  
    • muffythetuffy
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 7:20pm

      I am terrified. That story just described Obama. What must be done to our first psychopath President.

      Report this comment

      muffythetuffy  
    • lukerw
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 8:23pm

      Human NORMAL… only exists in the Minds of Narcissists… whereas, Human is a Range of Mental Conditions… as protection against the entire Species doing something Stupid, resulting in complete destruction. So, at the Nadir… we find Children & Parents who desire to kill each other.

      I, personally, want to know… whom wants to kill me!

      Report this comment

      lukerw  
  • dnewton
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 6:00pm

    How do you force someone to have empathy or act normal? I think force is the operative word because they don’t have a natural ability or urge to have empathy. It would probably be easier to acclimate someone to public nudity. It seems that a lack of empathy may be associated with an obsession with self gratification or the self in general. The failure to eliminate bullying shows how this is not an easy task. Concern about the welfare of others is a Christian doctrine and fundamental. Maybe the curse of the psychopath is just a natural and logical consequence of degrading the importance of Christianity. Every generation has its psychopaths but only in a generation where people feel comfortable writing their own rules that suit them the best would there be heightened awareness of the psychopath completely agreeing with normalizing their own deviant behavior.

    Report this comment

    dnewton  
  • jungle J
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 5:56pm

    he seemed untroubled by the prospect of jail but was pleased to be the center of attention.

    Report this comment

    jungle J  
  • lukerw
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 5:52pm

    At what age… does Crazy start?

    Report this comment

    lukerw  
    • The Gooch
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:07pm

      Hmm… how about the first day of school?
      You know what’s truly pathetic? Here in WV, familie embrace their generational SSDI checks. You can’t get those “artistic” (sic) and “the bipolar” diagnoses soon enough. Cha-ching!

      Report this comment

      The Gooch  
  • angelcat
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 5:32pm

    As one whose son was murdered by a narcissistic psychopath, I think it is imperative children be diagnosed as soon and possible so they are kept from hurting others. They can be re- evaluated at regular intervals to change the diagnosis is necessary. I’m sorry if it will be embarrassing and hurtful to the families of such children, but losing my son was painful for me – and the murder could have been prevented if the family had acted on the suspicious behaviors they observed.

    Report this comment

    angelcat  
    • Jenny Lind
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 6:29pm

      So sorry for your loss, I cannot imagine the depths of your pain.

      Report this comment

      Jenny Lind  
    • Marcia
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 7:42pm

      I agree with you, Angelcat. Every parent should be able to tune in to their child and know at a relatively early age whether they exhibit empathy or sympathy for others or animals. I cry when my cat is hurt or in distress – I’ve always had a heart for animals. Some people are born not to care and they should be watched carefully.

      Report this comment

      Marcia  
    • dontbotherme
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:58pm

      ANGELCAT: I am so sorry for your loss.

      Report this comment

      dontbotherme  
  • AllAmericanGirl22
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 5:31pm

    I guess it could be possible, at five there could be some behavior that could indicate it, but they need to be careful. In school they talked about it being possible to see if a child could be a criminal in the future by looking at their DNA when they’re born. Which is completely ridiculous, but this is not the same.

    Report this comment

    AllAmericanGirl22  
  • mikenleeds
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 5:11pm

    I think it s a great idea , quicker we can spot them and get them on medz is safer for the rest of us ,
    i have a friend that works at Birmingham behavior center and she tells me that 80 percent of adult females are already on some type of anti depression medication and that s just in Jefferson county along ,,
    i meant people all the time that seems insane in my line of work and this is why am always carrying my gun to protect myself from these over medicated nuts

    Report this comment

    mikenleeds  
  • BurntHills
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 4:59pm

    yes yes yes. our cousin’s neighbor was a psychopath at 5 yrs old and everyone around them knew it.

    Report this comment

    BurntHills  
  • cranberry
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 4:44pm

    I worked with a gal who was in college studying this. she said there are people all around us that don’t have empathy or real emotion and in order to get along with everyone else, have learned to mimic us. Very very scary. I don’t want them around me. period.

    Report this comment

    cranberry  
  • blaaaaackwoman
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:40pm

    I have read studies that the most highly successful people often have the strongest psychopathic traits. I’m not kidding. It was in the news the past year or so. I think someone even wrote a book about it.

    Report this comment

    blaaaaackwoman  
    • blaaaaackwoman
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:42pm

      Even the catch phrase, “life is not fair” hints at a lack of empathy does it not?

      Report this comment

      blaaaaackwoman  
    • Lord_Frostwind
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 4:09pm

      “The illusion that the world is fair is one of the greatest lies we are told. The world does not care what your problems are, if your life depends on pure water not freezing at 32 degrees Fahrenheit the world isn’t going to change it’s rules just to suit your situation. The only fairness in this world is what is decided by God in His judgements.”

      Report this comment

      Lord_Frostwind  
    • Truthbeliever2
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 4:21pm

      Well if it was in the news it has to be true…

      Report this comment

      Truthbeliever2  
  • Mark0331
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:21pm

    Barry is a pure sociopath….look up the definition…now, psychopath?…jury may still be out on that diagnosis…

    Report this comment

    Mark0331  
  • ThurstonHowellIV
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:21pm

    Sounds like “fledgling psychopaths” might have a great future as TSA agents.

    Report this comment

    ThurstonHowellIV  
  • Minnaloushe
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:20pm

    If we screen early for psychopathy and ultimately cure it, who will be left to fill the roles of politicians and power brokers?

    Report this comment

    Minnaloushe  
  • reddreads
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:20pm

    I find this topic fascinating for a number of reasons. There was an episode of SVU that dealt with this topic that was really good. It’s a tv show, I know, but they did bring up issues like whether a child can be diagnosed a psychopath and what that ultimately means. I also have a relative who is currently “institutionalized” (for lack of an easier explanation) because he did some horrendous things and is now in treatment. I wonder if his empathy for his victims is genuine or if he is playing us. He is 15, could he be an irredeemable psychopath, or is he just a kid who made some really bad choices who can be helped? I don’t know.

    Report this comment

    reddreads  
  • B_rad
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:04pm

    Psychopaths ARE able to be detected at early ages. If they can detect it early, maybe they can do something about it before someone gets hurt. The idea that they should withhold a diagnosis because it might hurt someone’s feelings is utterly ridiculous. Psychopaths are often very dangerous and always destructive people.

    Report this comment

    B_rad  
  • Impenitent
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:00pm

    I wonder what other undesirable “traits” will have to be murdered out of the race?

    Report this comment

    Impenitent  
  • woebegone
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:56pm

    Wow, this is news! News that is to anyone that doesn’t have the first clue about psychiatric illness, and the psychological understanding of sociopathy. Some people are unredeamable, sorry but this is the case. Just keep on suing because you created a criminal–my payment doesn’t make you less liable–you sick abusers of children, you abject infantile breeders of miscreants. The ability to procreate doesn’t make you a parent–whether you live comfortably on the Upper East Side, or i some buyou somewhere.

    Report this comment

    woebegone  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:55pm

    If they have to same family upbringing as Obama…….. well, maybe.

    Report this comment

    The-Monk  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:53pm

    This sounds like one more effort of the Fed’s to intrude in the lives of families; to have the feds raise them instead of their parents.

    Report this comment

    Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • RLTW
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:17pm

      Progressive Governments won’t raise them they’ll train them and direct their pathology at the rest of us. I think it’s called obamas civilian security force.

      Report this comment

      RLTW  
    • TheEDGE
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 4:31pm

      Come see all of the little psychopaths running around cities like Oakland, Chicago, and St. Louis. Will the little black psychopaths be held to the same standard as the white ones. I think not. They want the term psychopath to be synonymous with white males, and the younger they can make such a diagnosis the better. The black kids ( or mexicans or Arabs or what have you ) will always get the benefit of the doubt due to “social injustice”.

      Report this comment

      TheEDGE  
    • Restored One
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 7:02pm

      @RLTW- that is exactly what I was thinking, who better to keep the mass population in line than a bunch of psychos trained and encouraged to let their violent tendancies reign.

      However, I do find this story rather interesting.

      Report this comment

      Restored One  
  • InversionTheory
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:52pm

    I don’t support labeling kids with adult psychiatric disorders and I think we’re severely over-medicating people of all ages for psychiatric illnesses…but shall we do nothing to interrupt the development of a psychopath? We always recognize the signs in hindsight and it seems we could do more than going “yeah, he did kinda act uncaring with animals when he was 10″ after we catch him 20 years later as a serial killer.

    Report this comment

    InversionTheory  
  • Cosmos102
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:50pm

    Some doctors must believe then, that certain mental pathologies are hereditary, for children so young to already be diagnosed.

    Report this comment

    Cosmos102  
    • B_rad
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:12pm

      I don’t see where you get that from at all. A thing doesn’t have to be hereditary for it to be there at birth, or to develop at a young age. Psychopaths and sociopaths start very young. Some people are just born bad. It goes against what we like to believe about the human race, but it is true and plainly evident. My nephew’s 11 year old cousin shows many of the signs but the parents won’t do anything constructive about it. We keep my nephew from being alone with the kid. Best we can do.

      Report this comment

      B_rad  
    • The Gooch
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:16pm

      B_rad
      Telling how you referred to the parents of the alleged psychopath (pop garbage) as part of the problem…

      Report this comment

      The Gooch  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:47pm

    …
    This is sort of like the movie “Minority Report”.

    Report this comment

    LeadNotFollow  
  • Goldomark
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:41pm

    My children are my property! I won’t let the guberment label them anything and especially not raise them! They are mine! All the guberment want is indoctrinate them with leftist values like sharing, caring and non-violence!

    It’s in revelations people!

    Report this comment

    Goldomark  
    • Gamaliel
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:22pm

      You are outing yourself as the useful idiot when you say the left has “values like sharing, caring and non-violence!”

      You are ignoring the millions of people who were murdered by communists/socialists in the 20th century, not to mention the wars your messiah has escalated, continued and started. Oh yeah, I forgot, war with a “D” behind it for Demoncat are good!

      Report this comment

      Gamaliel  
    • Goldomark
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 6:49pm

      What about all the people the USA Massacred? Native Americans, Black slaves, Spanish, Vietcongs, Iraquis…

      Guess those people do not count because the USA benefited from those massacres.

      Look at your how bloody hand before talking about other people’s.

      Report this comment

      Goldomark  
    • The Gooch
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:10pm

      Oh, could you please name the guilt-free religion and/or major nation that has existed in history? Enlighten me as to the utopian construct that was or is?

      Report this comment

      The Gooch  
    • Hrothgar
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 10:35am

      Really, children are property? Did I miss something, can we own slaves again?

      Report this comment

      Hrothgar  
  • SREGN
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:36pm

    Hey Beavis, heh heh, heh heh, Waschbusch, heh heh.

    Report this comment

    SREGN  
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