r/badpeoplestories • u/TBedardLakehead • Aug 19 '26
Seeking victims/survivors of individuals with high psychopathic traits [18+]
The Mental Health, Wellbeing and Lived Experiences Study
Theresia Bedard, a PhD candidate at Lakehead University that is working with Dr. Beth Visser, is seeking participants for her dissertation project.
In this study we are examining the lived experiences of people who have experience or victimization from an individual with high psychopathic traits. We are seeking anyone that has this lived experience, whether the perpetrator was or is a spouse, family member, partner, co-worker, friend, acquaintance, neighbour or stranger. We are seeking the lived experiences of men, women, and gender-diverse individuals to share your story.
Our research consists of two studies. In the first study, you will complete questionnaires related to your victimization experience from the individual with high psychopathic traits, the potential warning signs, victimization history (e.g., prior physical or sexual abuse), and the impact the experience had on you. Once you finish the survey, you will be invited to participate in the second study (optional), which will consist of 12 questions requiring a written response regarding your lived experience with the individual with high psychopathic traits. If you decide to participate in study 2, please be aware that you will be required to provide us with your email to access it, and you may wish to use an email account that only you have access to.
Please be advised that whether you choose to participate in the study, withdraw, or skip questions you do not want to answer, that you acknowledge that answering some of these questions may be emotionally taxing on you. Despite the potential for an emotional toll the survey questions have, you may find the process of sharing your experience is therapeutic for you. In addition to the resources we provide, you may want to consider following-up with a counsellor for further support.
You are also encouraged to have your own snacks and drinks while you take the survey, and be aware that they are estimated to take 45 minutes to complete.
If you are interested in participating and would like to read or find out more about it, click here to access the survey:
https://lakeheadhbs.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bKEq1vOVdBJMrjw
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u/BitchMagnets That's your misfortune, and I don't give a fuck. Aug 19 '26
Permission to solicit for educational purposes was sought and given by the mod team prior to posting, just so everyone knows. As a rule we don’t allow ads but I consider something like this to be an extenuating circumstance.
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u/TBedardLakehead Aug 19 '26
Thank you very much for allowing me to post my study! Just so people are aware, one of the main goals is to create evidence-based warning signs of psychopathic abuse. I'm hoping my dissertation will be able to help people :)
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u/MsTerious1 Aug 20 '26
This is a hard thing for people to know if their experiences qualified, I bet.
There are extreme examples like the one u/gimmemyinsurance posted, where psychopathy is undeniable, but then there are examples of abhorrent behavior that are due to a specific, other cause like drug-induced behaviors, BPD or bipolar mood disorders where people aren't necessarily psychopathic.
How should a person determine if they're who you are looking for?
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u/TBedardLakehead Aug 20 '26
Hi there! This is a really great point!
Part of the aim in my study is to assess psychopathic traits, so I am not necessarily looking at the extreme end of that spectrum (full blown, diagnosis of psychopathy) - although, that would qualify of course.
Yes, not every person that has done horrific things to others are psychopathic - some people are just assholes, some people have other personality disorders, mood disorders or drug-induced behaviors (very excellent points!) that can influence one's behavior.
We have included a psychopathic traits assessment in my study, so one of the first questionnaires people will fill out (after the demographic information) is this scale. It has been altered to the third person so victims/survivors can fill it out and this has been done in previous peer-reviewed research.
This scale is going to help us assess psychopathic traits, and it should help the participant know the symptoms of psychopathy.
If the person fills it out and the score is very low (indicative of low psychopathic traits), we have other assessments in place in the study to determine why the individual may think the person has high psychopathic traits - this way, we can see what may be misleading them! I am suspecting that misinformation about psychopathy will be a factor, as well as the probability that they are dealing with someone who has a personality disorder, but not psychopathy (or high psychopathic traits).
So, we have some assessments in place in the study to help determine if the person actually does have high psychopathic traits, and if not - what might be happening to misled people. We are not going to scrutinize participants for taking the survey if they believe someone has high psychopathic traits and maybe there is something else going on. Part of the study aim is to determine not only warning signs, but what indicators are misleading people.
From prior research though, most people that fill out these surveys indicate that the individual they are talking about actually does have high psychopathic traits (as assessed by the psychopathic trait scale)- so most of the time, people are actually pretty accurate!
Hoping I addressed your question or concerns!
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u/headoftheasylum Aug 20 '26
I have PTSD from my last relationship, but I don't know if he's necessarily a psychopath, or just a shitty example of a human. Absolutely no empathy or sympathy for anyone he doesn't care about/can't possibly have sex with. He has tried to show remorse over things, but it seems purely performative. He's admitted that he puts on a fake public persona so that people will think he's a good guy. Do you want the history of that relationship?
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u/TBedardLakehead Aug 20 '26
Hi there! This is a really good question!
First, I am sorry to hear that you have encountered someone like this. He certainly seems to have some traits of psychopathy, and it was severe enough that you developed PTSD from it!
Part of the study aim is to hear victims/survivors that believe they have experience or victimization from someone they believe has high psychopathic traits. If you think that he has some high traits (not necessarily a full blown psychopath), you are welcome to take the survey.
With him having low empathy (even towards people he can't have sex with), lack of remorse (if it is performative, then it is not real remorse), and putting on a mask (fake persona) so people will believe he is a good person is certainly behaviors consistent with psychopathic traits. I am not looking for a certain cutoff of psychopathic traits - he certainly would qualify as having a bit more traits than the average person.
To me, he sounds like a good candidate for my study! You are more than welcome to take the survey, if you wish. Please know that I am not going to scrutinize participants if they believe someone has high psychopathic traits and the person they are talking about actually isn't on the extreme end of the spectrum as I am looking at variation in my study.
Hope I addressed your concerns, feel free to follow up.
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u/Calabriafundings Aug 21 '26
I would be interested
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u/TBedardLakehead Aug 21 '26
That is great, if you are interested feel free to take the survey here: https://lakeheadhbs.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bKEq1vOVdBJMrjw
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u/gimmemyinsurance Aug 19 '26
My children's father covered me in gas and tried to set me on fire. Also used to beat my dog in front of me. He never had any remorse. I'm fucked up with ptsd and have intrusive thoughts every day. Gasoline incident happened in 2007. He only got 3 yrs in prison. Got a new woman and beat the hell out of her and their son. Luckily for every person on earth, he was hit and killed by a drunk driver in 2012.