From the age of three, children can show behavior that will later lead to the development of psychopathy. This is pointed out by Professor Essi Viding, who has long been involved in research on how certain behavior of young children can increase the risk of developing this personality disorder. Psychopathy is a disorder characterized by lack of empathy, selfishness and sometimes harmful or criminal behavior.
Viding emphasizes that The presence of certain warning symptoms in a child does not mean that it inevitably becomes a dangerous psychopath, But it indicates an increased risk if the problem is not solved in time. According to research, these are not common manifestations of a naughty child, such as attacks of anger or unwillingness to share toys. These children suffer from behavioral disorder associated with heartless and insensitive behavior.
“A fully developed personality disorder does not appear as a gift to the 18th birthday, so it is clear that there are children who have these features from a very early age. Their timely identification does not mean that we can confidently predict that they will become psychopaths in adulthood, but they are children with a higher risk than their peers, ”said Viding for Telegraph. Research was published in Restrative Neurology and Neuroscience.
Professor described three key warning signals that can be observed in children aged 3-4 years
1. Lack of emotional reaction to the pain of others: These children do not feel the remorse of conscience when they hurt others, for example, when they take a toy and cause the other child to cry.
2. Difficulties to combine their own behavior with the consequences: Children do not learn from punishment such as time limit or ban on activities, and repeat harmful behavior.
3. Lack of interest in the happiness of others: Most children try to please their parents or friends. However, the happiness of people around them does not cause any reaction in these children.
