Relationship between psychopathy and intimate partner violence:Moderating effect of self-esteem
Objective:To explore the relationship between psychopathy and intimate partner violence(IPV),and the moderating role of self-esteem between them.Method:A total of 476 subjects from Jiangsu and Henan provinces including graduates and undergraduates from key universities and community residents a-round them were investigated by the primary sub-scale of Levenson's self-report psychopathy scale(LSRP),con-flict tactics scale-Straus(CTS2s)and self-esteem scale(SES).Results:the probable incidence rate of psy-chopathy was 5.88%,and the possible rate was 45.80%.The possible rate existed significant differences in dif-ferent age groups,education levels,marital and love statuses,identities(all P<0.05).Psychopathy was nega-tively correlated with self-esteem(r =-0.913,P<0.01),positively correlated with IPV(r = 0.470,P<0.01),and self-esteem was correlated with IPV(r =-0.387,P<0.01).Self-esteem played a moderating role between psychopathy and IPV(β =-0.171,P<0.01).Conclusion:Psychopathy positively predicts IPV,and self-esteem plays a moderating role in the relationship between psychopathy and IPV.Only in terms of lower levels of self-esteem,the positive impact of psychopathy on IPV exists.