scholarly journals Empathy in Youths with Conduct Disorder and Callous-Unemotional Traits

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annarita Milone ◽  
Luca Cerniglia ◽  
Chiara Cristofani ◽  
Emanuela Inguaggiato ◽  
Valentina Levantini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conduct Disorder ◽  
Child And Adolescent Psychiatry ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
Complex Emotions ◽  
History Of ◽  
Male Patients ◽  
Emotional Dimensions ◽  
Age Range

Previous studies indicated that a lack of empathy could be considered the core feature of callous-unemotional (CU) traits in children and adolescents. The present study is aimed at exploring relationships among CU traits, cognitive and emotional dimensions of empathy, emotion recognition (basic, social, and complex emotions), and history of maltreatment in a sample of youths with conduct disorder diagnosis. The sample consisted of 60 Italian male patients (age range 11-17 years, mean age 13.27±1.90 years) referred to the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (Pisa, Italy). In the whole sample, the levels of CU traits were significantly negatively associated with both cognitive and emotional dimensions of empathy; in addition, the CD patients with high levels of CU traits show significantly lower levels of empathic concern compared to those with low levels of CU traits. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed.

scholarly journals Positive and negative parenting in conduct disorder with high versus low levels of callous–unemotional traits

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Ruth Pauli ◽  
Peter Tino ◽  
Jack C. Rogers ◽  
Rosalind Baker ◽  
Roberta Clanton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conduct Disorder ◽  
Positive Parenting ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Negative Parenting ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Learning Classifier ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
Generalized Matrix ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Less is known about the relationship between conduct disorder (CD), callous–unemotional (CU) traits, and positive and negative parenting in youth compared to early childhood. We combined traditional univariate analyses with a novel machine learning classifier (Angle-based Generalized Matrix Learning Vector Quantization) to classify youth (N = 756; 9–18 years) into typically developing (TD) or CD groups with or without elevated CU traits (CD/HCU, CD/LCU, respectively) using youth- and parent-reports of parenting behavior. At the group level, both CD/HCU and CD/LCU were associated with high negative and low positive parenting relative to TD. However, only positive parenting differed between the CD/HCU and CD/LCU groups. In classification analyses, performance was best when distinguishing CD/HCU from TD groups and poorest when distinguishing CD/HCU from CD/LCU groups. Positive and negative parenting were both relevant when distinguishing CD/HCU from TD, negative parenting was most relevant when distinguishing between CD/LCU and TD, and positive parenting was most relevant when distinguishing CD/HCU from CD/LCU groups. These findings suggest that while positive parenting distinguishes between CD/HCU and CD/LCU, negative parenting is associated with both CD subtypes. These results highlight the importance of considering multiple parenting behaviors in CD with varying levels of CU traits in late childhood/adolescence.

scholarly journals Adolescents’ Popularity-Motivated Aggression and Prosocial Behaviors: The Roles of Callous-Unemotional Traits and Social Status Insecurity

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle F. Wright ◽  
Sebastian Wachs ◽  
Zheng Huang
Keyword(s):  
Social Status ◽  
Relational Aggression ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Prosocial Behaviors ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Age Range ◽  
Social Status Insecurity

As competition over peer status becomes intense during adolescence, some adolescents develop insecure feelings regarding their social standing among their peers (i.e., social status insecurity). These adolescents sometimes use aggression to defend or promote their status. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships among social status insecurity, callous-unemotional (CU) traits, and popularity-motivated aggression and prosocial behaviors among adolescents, while controlling for gender. Another purpose was to examine the potential moderating role of CU traits in these relationships. Participants were 1,047 (49.2% girls; Mage = 12.44 years; age range from 11 to 14 years) in the 7th or 8th grades from a large Midwestern city. They completed questionnaires on social status insecurity, CU traits, and popularity-motivated relational aggression, physical aggression, cyberaggression, and prosocial behaviors. A structural regression model was conducted, with gender as a covariate. The model had adequate fit. Social status insecurity was associated positively with callousness, unemotional, and popularity-motivated aggression and related negatively to popularity-motivated prosocial behaviors. High social status insecurity was related to greater popularity-motivated aggression when adolescents had high callousness traits. The findings have implications for understanding the individual characteristics associated with social status insecurity.

scholarly journals Dysfunction in differential reward-punishment responsiveness in conduct disorder relates to severity of callous-unemotional traits but not irritability

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Ru Zhang ◽  
Joseph Aloi ◽  
Sahil Bajaj ◽  
Johannah Bashford-Largo ◽  
Jennie Lukoff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Conduct Disorder ◽  
Passive Avoidance ◽  
Avoidance Task ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Affective Traits ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
Differential Reward

Abstract Background Conduct disorder (CD) has been associated with dysfunction in reinforcement-based decision-making. Two forms of affective traits that reflect the components of CD severity are callous-unemotional (CU; reduced guilt/empathy) traits and irritability. The form of the reinforcement-based decision-making dysfunction with respect to CD and CU traits remains debated and has not been examined with respect to irritability in cases with CD. The goals of the current study were to determine the extent of dysfunction in differential (reward v. punishment) responsiveness in CD, and CU traits and irritability in participants with CD. Methods The study involved 178 adolescents [typically developing (TD; N = 77) and cases with CD (N = 101)]. Participants were scanned with fMRI during a passive avoidance task that required participants to learn to respond to (i.e. approach) stimuli that engender reward and refrain from responding to (i.e. passively avoid) stimuli that engender punishment. Results Adolescents with CD showed reduced differential reward-punishment responsiveness within the striatum relative to TD adolescents. CU traits, but not irritability, were associated with reduced differential reward-punishment responsiveness within the striatum, rostromedial, and lateral frontal cortices. Conclusions The results suggest CD is associated with reduced differential reward-punishment responsiveness and the extent of this dysfunction in participants with CD is associated with the severity of CU traits but not irritability.

scholarly journals Reduced Cortisol in Boys with Early-Onset Conduct Disorder and Callous-Unemotional Traits

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georg G. von Polier ◽  
Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann ◽  
Kerstin Konrad ◽  
Kristine Wiesler ◽  
Jana Rieke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conduct Disorder ◽  
Antisocial Behavior ◽  
Early Onset ◽  
Cortisol Awakening Response ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
Cortisol Levels ◽  
Specific Association ◽  
Comorbid Adhd

Background. A growing body of evidence suggests an association between altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis reactivity and the development of persistent antisocial behavior in children. However the effects of altered cortisol levels remain poorly understood in the complex context of conduct disorder, callous-unemotional (CU) personality traits, and frequent comorbidities, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The aim of the current study was to investigate associations among CU traits, antisocial behavior, and comorbid ADHD symptomatology with cortisol levels in male children and adolescents.Methods. The study included 37 boys with early-onset conduct disorder (EO-CD, mean age 11.9 years) and 38 healthy boys (mean age 12.5 years). Participants were subjected to multiple daytime salivary cortisol measurements and a psychometric characterization.Results. Subjects in the EO-CD group with elevated CU traits showed a diminished cortisol awakening response compared to healthy participants. In the EO-CD group, high CU traits and impulsivity were associated with decreased diurnal cortisol levels, while associations with antisocial behavior were not detected. The cortisol awakening response was significantly inversely associated with hyperactivity (P=0.02) and marginally significant with CU traits (P=0.07).Conclusions. These results indicate a specific association between CU traits and a diminished stress response, which is not explained by antisocial behavior in general.

Callous-unemotional Traits: Verhaltensprobleme und prosoziales Verhalten bei Kindergartenkindern

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ute Koglin ◽  
Franz Petermann
Keyword(s):  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Antisocial Process Screening Device ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
Prosoziales Verhalten ◽  
Unemotional Traits ◽  
Screening Device

Callous-unemotional Traits (CU-Traits) stellen in der emotionalen Entwicklung Abweichungen dar, wie mangelnde Empathie oder ein oberflächlicher Affekt und gehören zu den Kernmerkmalen der Psychopathy. Aus einer entwicklungspsychopathologischen Sichtweise wird in der vorliegenden Studie untersucht, ob diese affektiven Merkmale bereits bei Kindern im Kindergartenalter zu identifizieren sind und sie mit Verhaltensproblemen, besonders mit externalisierenden Verhaltensproblemen, im Zusammenhang stehen. Anhand einer Stichprobe mit 311 Kindern (durchschnittlich 5;0 Jahre) wird die Anzahl der Kinder mit Callous-unemotional-Traits (CU-Traits), erfasst mit dem „Antisocial Process Screening Device“ (APSD), identifiziert. Es werden quer- und längsschnittliche Zusammenhange zwischen CU-Traits und Erlebens- und Verhaltensprobleme (SDQ) dargestellt. 23,3 % der Kinder weisen erhöhte Werte auf der Skala CU-Traits auf. Jüngere Kinder erreichen höhere Werte, so dass normative Entwicklungseinflüsse nahe gelegt werden. Es zeigen sich eindeutige Beziehungen zwischen CU-Traits und Verhaltensproblemen sowie negative Korrelationen zu prosozialem Verhalten. In der längsschnittlichen Analyse über ein Jahr erweisen sich CU-Traits als Prädiktor für Verhaltensprobleme. Ein spezifischer Zusammenhang zwischen aggressivem Verhalten und CU-Traits kann nicht aufgezeigt werden. CU-Traits stehen besonders mit einem Defizit prosozialen Verhaltens in Verbindung. Es wird diskutiert, ob CU-Traits bei jungen Kindern dazu geeignet sind, aggressive Kinder frühzeitig zu identifizieren.

scholarly journals Callous-unemotional traits in Chinese preschool children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinsong Zhang ◽  
Wei Li ◽  
Huifeng Zhang ◽  
Amanda Wilson ◽  
Lan Shuai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Incremental Validity ◽  
Behavioural Problems ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Oppositional Defiant ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits

Abstract Background Children with early onset of Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits are at a higher risk for long-term, persistent psychosocial problems. The current study aimed to explore the characteristics of CU in preschool children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the diagnostic significance of CU traits in ADHD. Methods A total of 176 preschool children (89 with ADHD and 87 Typically Developing Children [TDC]) aged 4–5 years old were recruited to the study. The participants were assessed for CU traits, emotional and behavioral problems, and how their executive functioning was associated with ADHD using multiple assessment scales. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to assess the incremental validity of the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU), adjusting for possible covariates by child’s sex, conduct problems, and oppositional defiant symptoms. Results The results showed that there was a significant difference of ICU scores between the ADHD and TDC groups (F = 30.12, P < 0.001). In terms of callousness, ADHD + Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) group showed a significant high score, and the ADHD only group scored significantly higher than the TDC group (F = 20.42, P < 0.001). The ICU was negatively associated with the prosocial behaviour subscale (γ = − 0.57, P < 0.01) and showed low to moderate positive correlations with emotional and behavioural problems, as well as executive function (γ = 0.24–0.67, P < 0.05). The ICU scores explained 6% of the incremental validity in ADHD symptoms. The diagnostic value of the ICU for ADHD was medium and acceptable. Conclusions The current study indicated that early identification of CU traits may help clinicians better understand symptoms and behavioural problems in children with ADHD. CU traits therefore could be considered as a useful assessment tool for ADHD.

Maternal PTSD and Behavioral Parent Training Treatment for a Girl With Conduct Disorder and Callous–Unemotional Traits

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 482-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara L. Mills ◽  
Dara E. Babinski ◽  
Daniel A. Waschbusch
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Outcome ◽  
Conduct Disorder ◽  
Parent Training ◽  
Parental Psychopathology ◽  
Behavioral Parent Training ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Negative Behaviors ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
The Impact

Very little is known about the impact of parental psychopathology on treatment outcome for youth with conduct problems (CPs) and callous–unemotional (CU) traits. This case study describes behavioral parent training (BPT) for “Amy,” an 11-year-old girl presenting with CP/CU traits who had a mother diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Maternal and paternal reports of child behavior problems and impairments were collected to assess treatment outcome. Weekly ratings of maternal PTSD were also collected to examine changes in maternal psychopathology over the course of BPT. Parent ratings showed that treatment was associated with reductions in oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms, conduct disorder (CD) symptoms, and impairment, and with improvements in treatment goal progress. However, the frequency of negative behaviors remained high throughout treatment. Maternal PTSD symptoms remained in the clinical range throughout BPT, but there was some evidence of synchrony between maternal PTSD symptoms and child negative behaviors. These findings highlight the importance of examining parental psychopathology in understanding BPT outcomes for children with CP/CU traits and call for greater attention to addressing child and parent difficulties that may impede improvement in treatment for youth with CP/CU traits.

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