Psychopathy is a set of several traits: egocentrism, manipulativeness, shallow affect and poor behaviour controls (high impulsivity and recklessness). Studies show moderate heritability of psychopathy. Transgenerational transmission of psychopathic traits can also be achieved indirectly, if parents create harsh environment for their children during their development. In order to examine the transmission of psychopathic traits through three consecutive generations, we constructed a path analysis model. The sample consisted of 222 students (Mage = 21.22, SDage = 3.75; 76% female), 420 students’ parents (Mage = 51.47, SDage = 5.89; 54% female) and 739 students’ grandparents (Mage = 71.04, SDage = 11.06; 45% female). TriPM self-assessment questionnaire measured psychopathic traits of students, while rating measures, the SPRS questionnaire measured psychopathic traits of parents and grandparents. Students and their parents have self-assessed the dysfunction of their family environment (on the Family Dysfunction scale) and poverty as they grew up. The model showed satisfactory data fit, especially RMSE and CFI values (χ² = 56.026, df = 51, p = .292; RMSEA = .015; CFI = .992). The psychopathic trait of recklessness in grandparents predicts the same trait in the next offspring generation, and the path is significant between the second and third generations. The same pattern is observed in the manipulative interpersonal style. The psychopathic trait of recklessness is the strongest predictor of an unfavorable environment for growing up, both poverty and dysfunction of the family environment: this is transmitted from the first to the second and from the second to the third generation. The direct effects of recklessness from the first generation to the third generation are also observed. The results provide new insights into how psychopathic traits of parents generate psychopathy, but also an unfavorable environment (in socio-economic and in terms of family functioning) from generation to generation, which provides additional understanding of the etiology of psychopathy
