Structural Equation Modelling of Primary and Secondary Vulnerability of Psychopathic Disorder based on Behavioral Brain Systems in Medical Students

Background. The activity level of the behavioral brain systems is one of the factors contributing to the occurrence or persistence of psychopathic behaviors. Therefore, this study aimed to structurally model the primary and secondary psychopathic disorders based on behavioral brain systems.
Methods. This study was applied in terms of purpose and descriptive in terms of correlational research method. The statistical population of this study included all medical students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. A total of 284 subjects were selected as the sample by adopting convenience sampling method, and the Lonson, Kiel, and Fetispatrick Psychopathy Scale as well as the Carver and White Brain-Behavioral Systems Scale were used to collect the data. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and structural equation modelling by SPSS software version 24 and LISREL version 8.80.
Results. The results showed that the behavioral activation system had a positive significant relationship with primary and secondary psychopathy, and that the behavioral inhibition system had a negative significant relationship with primary and secondary psychopathy (P<0.01). The results of structural equation model demonstrated that behavioral activator system and behavioral inhibition system played a significant role in primary and secondary psychopathy (P<0.01). Moreover, the structural equation model was found to be an acceptable model (2/df= 2.50, RMSEA=0.075, CFI=0.96, NFI=0.94, GFI=0.94).
Conclusion. Taking into account the function of activating systems and behavioral inhibition, pathological personality traits may have been oriented or corrected before the formation and stabilization of these traits.