Childhood mental health problems are considered to fall along internalizing and externalizing dimensions; however, this framing does not fully capture the complexity of the relations among these symptoms. Specifically, internalizing problems (Int), conduct problems (CP), and callous/unemotional (CU) behaviors frequently co-occur and may share emotion functioning and contextual correlates that differentially confer risk across these potential symptom profiles. Research is shifting toward testing models of shared vulnerabilities to childhood emotional and behavioral symptoms, but has yet to extensively examine CU behaviors concurrently with these symptoms. The culmination of findings across relevant literature, though sparse, identifies candidate shared child-specific correlates such as emotion function (i.e., recognition, regulation, lability, processing); exposure to community violence; parent emotion socialization practices; and peer processes (e.g., bullying/victimization, social support) as shared correlates of Int, CP, and CU behaviors that may further differentiate profiles that differ in the frequency, type, or severity of symptoms. Such information could facilitate identification of youth at risk for problematic symptoms and outcomes. The current study sought to identify profiles of Int, CP, and CU behaviors in a sample of 104 low-income (69% income < $19,999; all eligible for free school meals) urban youth (M= 9.93 ± 1.22 years old; 50% male; 95% African American). Teachers rated Int, CP, and CU behaviors; and caregivers rated their emotion socialization practices and youth emotion regulation and lability. Youth reported on bullying, peer victimization, social support, and exposure to community violence and completed two lab tasks to assess emotion recognition and processing. A latent profile analysis yielded three teacher-reported profiles: (1) high internalizing, moderate CU, and moderate CP (High-Int/Mod-CU/CP, n = 16; 51.7% male); (2) high generalized anxiety disorder symptoms, CU, and CP (High-GAD/CU/CP, n = 16; 80.9% male); and (3) low problematic behaviors (Low, n = 59; 45.5% male), with the first two profiles rated as having co-occurring presentations of anxiety, depression, and CU behaviors, with different levels of CP. Auxiliary analyses revealed that the High-Int/Mod-CU/CP and High-GAD/CU/CP profiles differed only in levels of recognition of sad facial expressions, whereas the High-GAD/CU/CP and Low profiles differed on witnessing community violence and emotion regulation. The High-GAD/CU/CP profile also reportedly exhibited the greatest engagement in bullying and emotional lability. Current findings add to the growing literature on profiles of youth emotional and behavioral problems that include different constellations with co-occurring CU behaviors among youth in contexts that place them at increased risk for poor functional outcomes. / Psychology

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Callous-unemotional (CU) traits, an affective component of psychopathy, are associated with problematic outcomes in social relationships in adolescents. However, their association with problematic romantic relationships in young adults has not been the focus of research. In a community sample of 216 college students (167 females) between the ages of 18 to 50, the current study examined the association between CU traits and several important romantic relationship outcomes. Results indicated that CU traits showed positive associations with dominance and partner’s perceived submissiveness, but negative associations with relationship satisfaction, even after controlling for impulsivity and antisocial behavior. On the other hand, antisocial behavior showed unique positive associations with short-term mating, psychological aggression towards partner, and partner’s perceived CU traits, even after controlling for CU traits. Further, results indicated that CU traits, impulsivity, and antisocial behavior showed positive associations with physical aggression towards partner. However, once these variables were entered in a multiple regression model simultaneously, none of these associations remained significant, suggesting it is the shared variance across these three variables that accounts for physical aggression. Implications for research and treatment are discussed.

In an attempt to understand girls' involvement conduct problems, this dissertation first reviews two existing theoretical approaches that provide an explanation for the development of conduct problems. Specifically, the available literature on the development and correlates of conduct problems in boys suggests the subtypes of conduct disorder represent two developmental trajectories. The adolescent-onset pathway is associated with deviant peers and few characterological problems, where as the childhood-onset pathway is associated with emotion regulation deficits, negative parenting, callous and unemotional traits, and neurological deficits. Research also suggests a gender-specific model, the delayed-onset model, for the development of conduct problems in girls. Following this theoretical review, differential predictions made by the competing theoretical models are tested in a community sample of school-aged girls and boys. Participants were 202 children (87 males and 115 females) in grades 5-9. The students ranged in age from 10 to 17 years old (M = 13.16). Similar to the total student body, the ethnic breakdown of the sample was as follows: African-American (60%), Caucasian (24%), Hispanic (6%), and Other (5%). Data was also collected from the students' parents and teachers. Results indicated that girls conduct problems did not follow either model in a consistent manner. Specifically, adolescent-onset conduct problem girls, childhood-onset conduct problem boys, and adolescentonset conduct problem boys differed from non-conduct problem children but did not differ significantly amongst themselves on study variables (e.g., deviant peer association, hyperactivity/impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, callous/unemotional traits). However, results suggest that gender-specific risk factors should be taken into account when developing theoretical models for girls' conduct problems. For example, early pubertal maturation is a particularly salient risk factor for conduct problems in girls, and pubertal development interacts with emotion regulation problems to place girls at high risk for deviant behavior. Finally, implications for prevention and intervention as well as future research are discussed.

Conduct problems describe behaviors that violate either age-appropriate societal norms or the rights of others. They include: physical or verbal aggression, theft, lying, arguing with authority, defiance, violation of rules, property destruction, fire setting, and truancy. Among youth with conduct problems, a subset display features known as callous-unemotional (CU) traits. CU traits, or interpersonal callousness, are exemplified in behaviors such as: (a) absence of remorse or guilt, (b) lack of empathy and, (c) callous use of others for personal gain (Frick & White, 2008). This study aims to fill the gap of examining these students in schools and which practices are currently being used to manage these students’ behaviors. Because students with callous unemotional traits are typically the students exhibiting the most extreme and aggressive forms of conduct problems, there is a need to discover effective ways to manage their behavior in order to maintain a safe and effective learning environment for all students. In this study, vignettes were used to make comparisons between youth with and without CU traits in the following areas: (RQ1) teachers’ attributive perceptions of conduct problems (i.e., Why do they think the child behaves this way?), (RQ2) teachers’ self-efficacy in addressing conduct problems in the classroom, (RQ3) the most appropriate educational setting for students with conduct problems, (RQ4) the type of behavior management strategies believed to be most effective, and (RQ5) the expected trajectory of the student. Teachers were most likely to attribute problem behavior of all students to home and within child factors but they were somewhat more likely to attribute home factors to the students with CU traits. Teachers additionally feel overall less efficacious in working with students with CU traits, had lower expectations of success, and were more likely to recommend ongoing home-school collaboration. Participants in this study showed overwhelming support for the fact that reinforcing interventions are more effective than punitive interventions and knowledge of a wide range of interventions. The discussion describes suggestions for future training to increase teacher competency in working with students with conduct problems in the general education setting.

The present study aimed to investigate the predictors of conduct problems and callous-unemotional (CU) traits in a non-clinic sample of children from different socioeconomic levels. It was hypothesized that conduct problems and CU traits will be associated with different risk factors. Regression analyses were conducted in order to find out the predictors of conduct problems/hyperactivity and CU traits. Results showed some significant differences between risk factors of conduct problems/hyperactivity and CU traits. Predictors according to mothers&rsquo / and teachers&rsquo / ratings were not the same, except for some overlapping variables. The findings indicated that teachers could not differentiate conduct problems/hyperactivity symptoms and CU traits appropriately from each other. However, they could make more reliable comparisons between two groups of children with conduct problems who differ on severity of CU levels as compared to mothers. The results were discussed in terms of using of multiple informants forassessing different problem areas in children. In addition, the study aimed to investigate the differences between three groups of children, namely, children with conduct problems and high CU traits, children with conduct problems and low CU traits, and children without conduct problems and low CU traits were compared on child-related, parenting-related, and other family measures by using multiple factorial analyses of variances. Although significant differences were found between the control group and the two conduct group, the significant differences between the two conduct groups were limited. The results were discussed in terms of treatment needs and possible differences in cultural expression of CU traits.

Title from PDF of title page. / Document formatted into pages; contains 124 pages. / Thesis (Ed.S.)--University of South Florida, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references. / Text (Electronic thesis) in PDF format. / ABSTRACT: This research study compared perceptions of family functioning among preadolescent children with behavior difficulties and their primary caregivers. Participants consisted of 29 caregiver-child dyads as well as each child's classroom teacher. Eligibility for the study was based on the child's placement within a self-contained Emotionally Handicapped (EH) or Severely Emotionally Disturbed (SED) classroom in one of three elementary schools within two west coast Florida counties. Data collection included teacher rating scales pertaining to the severity of each child's behavior and the presence of Callus Unemotional (CU) traits in addition to caregiver and child interviews tapping perceptions of family functioning. Results indicated that caregivers consistently viewed their families as more adaptive and cohesive than did children with a disruptive behavior disorder. / ABSTRACT: These findings are consistent with previous research showing a similar pattern among older adolescents with a disruptive behavior disorder. No relationship was not found between the child's perception of family functioning and CU traits, although it was noted that there was considerable restriction of range on CU traits. Overall, the results of this study contributes to the existing literature by demonstrating that preadolescents, like their older counterparts, also view their families as less adaptive and cohesive than do their caregivers. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed. / System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Background: Developing a well-adept social competence in preschool years is considered important and seems to play a pivotal role in later social functioning like school readiness and academic competence. Due to the individual development in children, establishing potential early markers of early social problems has been difficult. Although parent, peer, and contextual factors may be important to children’s development of social competence, the present study addressed the range of individual differences in children that may facilitate or impede social skills development. Method: The paper is based on data from the comprehensive longitudinal Trondheim Early Secure Study (TESS) of a screen-stratified community sample of 2475 children who were assessed at 4 year of age (T1) and followed up at the age of 6 (T2) (n=797). General linear modeling weighting data back to yield true population estimates of the predictive value of Social Competence, Gender, Negative Affectivity, Surgency, Effortful Control, Inattention, Hyperactivity, Impulsivity, Peer Problems, Disorganized Attachment and Callous-Unemotional traits assessed at T1 in predicting Social Competence at T2, when adjusting for Social Competence at T1. Results: Analysis indicates that Social Competence, Surgency, Inattention, Peer Problems high levels of Callous-Unemotional traits and Disorganization were unique predictors of Social Competence when adjusting for all variables. Negative Affectivity failed to predict Social Competence. Conclusions: Beyond a sizable continuity in social competence a range of child characteristics may enhance social skills development in young children . The identification of such child factors, when controlling for other potential factors, may inform health promotion efforts towards increasing young children’s social competence.

The current study investigated relationships between youth offending, family factors, and personality factors. As a follow-up study to McLoughlin et al, one of the primary focus of this study was to examine whether callous-unemotional traits and aggression could predict offending. The second primary focus of this study was to determine whether family factors also predict offending in combination with callous-unemotional traits and aggression. Police records of 126 youths were obtained, and these were analysed along with the responses that were collected in the previous years during 2007-2010. Several theories involving crime and family factors were also addressed. The results revealed that callous-unemotional trait and aggression were both related to offending. Family factors, particularly ones related to parenting were correlated with youth offending and antisocial behavioural traits.

Community-based youth non-profit organizations (NPOs) have become increasingly popular for the provision of youth prevention and intervention services, yet many youth NPOs lack the resources to undergo formal evaluation. Further, most existing program evaluations do not consider individual characteristics of the child or the child’s exposure to stressors. The current pilot study sought to evaluate the extent to which boys participated in 1:1 mentoring and other program activities at the Son of a Saint (SOAS) NPO, an organization seeking to provide positive male role models for fatherless young boys. In addition, the current study examined the effects of program involvement on both prosocial (i.e., academic performance) and antisocial (i.e., aggression and delinquency) outcomes, as well as the moderating role of callous-unemotional (CU) traits and exposure to trauma/stressors on study outcomes. Data were collected from mothers (N = 37) and boys (N = 27) at the first assessment point, and from mothers (N = 21) one year later. Results of bivariate correlational and regression analyses at T1 indicated that boys who have been part of SOAS for shorter durations had higher levels of participation overall, and that behavioral/academic problems were associated with more program participation. Results at T2 indicated that participation in a greater variety of activities was related to lower levels of antisocial behavior. No significant interactions were detected for either CU traits or trauma exposure in the current sample. Implications of findings are discussed with regard to future program evaluation at SOAS. Detailed recommendations for overcoming the study limitations, particularly regarding the small sample size, are provided.