Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterized by a constellation of affective, interpersonal, lifestyle and antisocial features whose antecedents can be identified in a subgroup of young people showing severe antisocial behaviour. The prevalence of psychopathy in the general population is thought to be ~1%, but is up to 25% in prisoners. The aetiology of psychopathy is complex, with contributions of both genetic and environmental risk factors, and gene–environment interactions and correlations. Psychopathy is characterized by structural and functional brain abnormalities in cortical (such as the prefrontal and insular cortices) and subcortical (for example, the amygdala and striatum) regions leading to neurocognitive disruption in emotional responsiveness, reinforcement-based decision-making and attention. Although no effective treatment exists for adults with psychopathy, preliminary intervention studies targeting key neurocognitive disturbances have shown promising results. Given that psychopathy is often comorbid with other psychiatric disorders and increases the risk of physical health problems, educational and employment failure, accidents and criminality, the identification of children and young people at risk for this personality disorder and preventative work are important. Indeed, interventions that target the antecedents of psychopathic features in children and adolescents have been found to be effective.

精神病是一种人格障碍，其特征是一系列情感、人际关系、生活方式和反社会特征，其前因可以在表现出严重反社会行为的年轻人亚群中识别出来。一般人群中精神病的患病率被认为约为 1%，但在囚犯中高达 25%。精神病的病因很复杂，包括遗传和环境风险因素，以及基因-环境相互作用和相关性。精神病的特征是皮质（如前额叶和岛叶皮质）和皮质下（如杏仁核和纹状体）区域的结构和功能性大脑异常，导致情绪反应、基于强化的决策和注意力的神经认知中断。尽管成人精神病患者尚无有效治疗方法，但针对关键神经认知障碍的初步干预研究已显示出可喜的结果。鉴于精神变态通常与其他精神障碍并存，并增加身体健康问题、教育和就业失败、事故和犯罪的风险，因此识别处于这种人格障碍风险中的儿童和青少年并开展预防工作非常重要。事实上，已发现针对儿童和青少年精神病特征前因的干预措施是有效的。鉴于精神变态通常与其他精神障碍并存，并增加身体健康问题、教育和就业失败、事故和犯罪的风险，因此识别处于这种人格障碍风险中的儿童和青少年并开展预防工作非常重要。事实上，已发现针对儿童和青少年精神病特征前因的干预措施是有效的。鉴于精神变态通常与其他精神障碍并存，并增加身体健康问题、教育和就业失败、事故和犯罪的风险，因此识别处于这种人格障碍风险中的儿童和青少年并开展预防工作非常重要。事实上，已发现针对儿童和青少年精神病特征前因的干预措施是有效的。