Till Örebro universitet

Lower resting heart rate and lower levels of empathy have independently been associated with an increased risk of antisocial behavior. However, little is known about the potential interaction between resting heart rate and empathy in predicting antisocial behavior. The aim of the current project was to examine the moderating role of empathy in young adulthood on the association between resting heart rate in childhood and antisocial behavior in young adulthood. We utilized two subsamples from the University of Southern California Risk Factors for Antisocial Behavior Project (n=707, n=616), a longitudinal project with data from five waves. Resting heart rate was measured using disposable electrodes attached to the torso. Empathy was measured using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index with four subscales. Antisocial behavior was defined as law enforcement involvement. After adjusting for potential confounds, results suggest that lower resting heart rate in childhood and lower empathy in young adulthood predict antisocial behavior in young adulthood. Most importantly, empathy in young adulthood moderated the association between resting heart rate in childhood and antisocial behavior in young adulthood. Results indicate that at lower levels of empathy, a lower resting heart rate was associated with increased probability of being in trouble with the police.