Associations between ANS activity and psychopathic traits: A consideration of differences in association across stress task and psychopathy measures

Despite growing evidence that associations between autonomic nervous system (ANS) responsivity and psychopathic traits vary across stress tasks only a single study has systematically assessed cross-task differences in associations. To advance this limited literature the current study randomized subjects into either a noise blast (countdown) task or a social stressor speech task. Analyses estimated associations between ANS (heart rate, skin conductance) and measures of psychopathic traits (Self-Report Psychopathy Scale-III, Inventory of Callous-Unemotional traits, Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale, Sensation Seeking Scale – Form V). Results indicated that associations between ANS activity and psychopathic traits varied across stress task, ANS measure, and psychopathy measure. Associations that were consistent across analyses included a negative association between heart rate reactivity to the countdown task and SRP total scores, and a negative association between skin conductance reactivity to the social stressor speech task the interpersonal manipulation scale in the SRP. In addition, there was a negative association between resting skin conductance and SSS-V total scores.