ABSTRACT
In this chapter, an overview of the empirical studies investigating the relationship between attachment experiences in childhood and adult psychopathy will be presented, and an attachment framework will be used to illustrate some psychological processes that may link child maltreatment with the development of psychopathy. Research indicates that individuals who have been exposed to attachment trauma in their childhood are at increased risk for developing psychopathic traits; furthermore, meta-analytic findings support the view that psychopathy is positively associated with insecure and disorganized attachment. The defense mechanism of identification with the aggressor and the development of controlling-punitive strategies in disorganized children are identified as the potential linking factors that connect childhood experiences of loss, neglect, and abuse with the surfacing of psychopathic traits in some individuals.
