Effect of early environment on electrodermal and cognitive correlates of schizotypy and psychopathy in criminals.

This study examined hypotheses concerning electrodermal hyporeactivity and psychopathy, electrodermal hyporeactivity in schizoid antisocials, poorer scores on the Attention-Distraction factor of the WAIS in schizoid antisocials and stronger support for these relationships in those from intact as opposed to broken home backgrounds. Thirty-seven prisoners were assessed for psychopathy, schizotypy (anhedonia-psychoticism and schizophrenism), the WAIS, and skin conductance recorded to orienting, consonant-vowel, and 90 dB stimuli. All hypothesized relationships for psychopathy were non-significant. High anhedonia-psychoticism scores were significantly associated with reduced orienting frequency (r = -0.43) and with poor performance on Attention-Distraction (r = -0.43). Reduced orienting frequency was itself associated with poor Attention-Distraction (r = 0.61). These relationships were stronger in subjects from intact as opposed to broken home backgrounds. Conclusions are drawn with respect to the mediating effects of attentional and social background factors in psychophysiology-schizotypy relationships.