Low maternal care and abuse were associated with overall psychopathy scores, and emotional detachment was specifically associated with low paternal overprotection. Children who had poor bonding or attachments with parents were prone to psychopathic traits, and their scores were not affected when a paired variable was removed. Unstable parent–child relationships are thought to increase ODD and CD features as well as CU traits. This association may be attributed to “betrayal trauma,” when a child is traumatized by a parental figure and the child has to reconcile with trusting and not trusting the parental figure. Thus, some children and adolescents disengage emotionally in order to cope with their environment which may foster development of CU traits