This study sought to explore whether PTSD symptoms in detained adolescents were differentially related to high and low patterns of emotional reactivity, as determined based on callous-unemotional (CU) traits and emotion dysregulation. Analyses revealed four distinct groups based on these criteria: a low/no trauma control group with few PTSD symptoms, and three groups whose PTSD symptoms were distinguished by symptoms of emotional numbing. The study sought to determine whether these profiles were related to distinct patterns of aggression and delinquency. Results revealed that the low/no PTSD symptom group exhibited the least aggression and delinquency. Further, results indicated that higher CU traits and violent offending are associated with a combined PTSD symptom profile. Results suggest a relationship between PTSD symptoms, delinquency, aggression, and CU traits. Findings provide support for the existence of a secondary variant of CU youth who are more emotionally dysregulated and prone to both arousal and emotional detachment.

Callous – unemotional (CU) traits are a key factor in understanding the persistence and severity of conduct problems. The factor structure of CU traits has been primarily examined through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in childhood and adolescent samples, yet little research has examined the structure of CU traits in preschool. Further, current CFA models have yielded poor – to – marginally acceptable fit, suggesting the need for a more nuanced approach in understanding the structure of CU traits in early childhood using an interitem approach (i.e., network analysis). Within a sample of 109 preschool children (M age = 4.77, SD = 1.10), CFA results supported a two – factor structure of the ICU, comprised of “callous” and “uncaring” factors. Results of the network analysis identified seems cold and uncaring as most central to the CU network. Results from the CFA demonstrated that CU traits can be assessed in preschool children using 12 of the original 24 items from the ICU, which is consistent with a small portion of research. Further, results of the network analysis suggested that seems cold and uncaring may be useful in screening for psychopathic traits in preschool children. Clinical implications, including ICU measure refinement, are explored.

<p>Forskning har visat att barn som uppvisar ett normbrytande beteende i kombination med brister i empati och förståelse för ömsesidighet med andra har svårare för att bedöma rädda ansikten än andra barn med normbrytande beteenden. I en studie kopplades detta till att de inte läser av ögonen utan fokuserar mer på munnen. Föreliggande studies huvudsyfte var dels att validera ett instrument för mätning av barns ögonrörelser och relatera ögonrörelser till tolkning av känslor i ansiktsuttryck, dels att undersöka om barns empati generellt kan kopplas till skillnader i ögonrörelsemönster vid bedömning av ansiktsuttryck. En normalpopulation på 39 barn i 10-11 årsåldern bedömde ansiktsuttryck (glad, neutral, ledsen, arg och rädd). Föräldraskattningar av kognitiv och affektiv empati relaterades till deras förmåga att identifiera ansikten korrekt. Resultaten indikerar att rädda ansiktsuttryck generellt var svårare än de andra att bedöma. Det fanns också en negativ korrelation mellan affektiv empati och förmågan att bedöma rädda ansikten och ansikten i allmänhet. Resultaten diskuteras utifrån tidigare forskning och klinisk betydelse.</p>

Forskning har visat att barn som uppvisar ett normbrytande beteende i kombination med brister i empati och förståelse för ömsesidighet med andra har svårare för att bedöma rädda ansikten än andra barn med normbrytande beteenden. I en studie kopplades detta till att de inte läser av ögonen utan fokuserar mer på munnen. Föreliggande studies huvudsyfte var dels att validera ett instrument för mätning av barns ögonrörelser och relatera ögonrörelser till tolkning av känslor i ansiktsuttryck, dels att undersöka om barns empati generellt kan kopplas till skillnader i ögonrörelsemönster vid bedömning av ansiktsuttryck. En normalpopulation på 39 barn i 10-11 årsåldern bedömde ansiktsuttryck (glad, neutral, ledsen, arg och rädd). Föräldraskattningar av kognitiv och affektiv empati relaterades till deras förmåga att identifiera ansikten korrekt. Resultaten indikerar att rädda ansiktsuttryck generellt var svårare än de andra att bedöma. Det fanns också en negativ korrelation mellan affektiv empati och förmågan att bedöma rädda ansikten och ansikten i allmänhet. Resultaten diskuteras utifrån tidigare forskning och klinisk betydelse.

Individual differences, particularly callous and unemotional (C&U) traits, and parenting practices are some of the strongest predictors of externalizing behavior in adolescents. However, findings on the associations between C&U traits, parenting, and externalizing behaviors have been mixed, with studies often utilizing single scores to represent these multidimensional constructs. The current study used a developmental-contextual framework to examine how dimensions of C&U traits predict aggressive and non-aggressive rule-breaking behaviors through positive and negative parenting practices. The study used archival data from 174 pairs of adolescent males, ages 11-16 years old, and their mothers. Results showed that C&U traits influenced externalizing behaviors through parenting practices. Findings also showed specificities among these relationships. Particularly, the associations between Uncaring and aggressive, as well as non-aggressive rule-breaking, behaviors was mediated by negative parenting, whereas the association between Unemotional and rule-breaking behaviors was mediated by positive parenting practices. Research and clinical implications are discussed.

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits are associated with severe and aggressive youth antisocial behavior (ASB) and are under consideration as a potential specifier for the diagnosis of Conduct Disorder in DSM-5 (Frick & Moffitt, 2010). This proposal demands more inquiry into the impact that CU traits have on behavioral subtypes of youth ASB. Normal-range personality traits, trait levels of anxiety, and hormonal stress reactivity (i.e., changes in the stress hormone, cortisol) are all factors that have been studied extensively in relation to ASB, but these relationships have not yet been considered in combination with CU traits. The purpose of the current set of studies was to examine the extent to which CU traits moderated links between these three factors and both overall and behavioral subtypes of ASB. In the first study, data were collected on children’s personality, CU traits, and three behavioral categories of ASB (physical aggression, relational aggression and non-violent rule-breaking behavior) for community (N = 742) and clinical (N = 183) samples of children. In the community sample, CU traits moderated links between Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Openness to Experience and ASB overall and externalizing behaviors, between Neuroticism, Extraversion and physical aggression and between Agreeableness, Extraversion and rule-breaking behaviors. In the clinical sample, CU traits moderated the link between Agreeableness and externalizing behaviors. In the second study, data were collected on children’s trait anxiety, CU traits, and the same three behavioral categories of ASB in a follow-up adolescent community sample (N = 145). Reactivity of cortisol in response to an unanticipated social stress test was also measured. Results revealed that CU traits moderated links between trait anxiety and ASB overall, externalizing behaviors and physical aggression. In females only, CU traits also moderated links between cortisol reactivity and ASB overall and externalizing behaviors. Combined, the results of these studies support the proposal that CU traits are a clinically useful diagnostic specifier with different implications for behavioral subtypes of ASB. Further, the present findings allow recommendations to be made for future research to further our understanding of the role CU traits play in CD, and to develop targeted interventions.

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits are associated with severe and aggressive youth antisocial behavior (ASB) and are under consideration as a potential specifier for the diagnosis of Conduct Disorder in DSM-5 (Frick & Moffitt, 2010). This proposal demands more inquiry into the impact that CU traits have on behavioral subtypes of youth ASB. Normal-range personality traits, trait levels of anxiety, and hormonal stress reactivity (i.e., changes in the stress hormone, cortisol) are all factors that have been studied extensively in relation to ASB, but these relationships have not yet been considered in combination with CU traits. The purpose of the current set of studies was to examine the extent to which CU traits moderated links between these three factors and both overall and behavioral subtypes of ASB. In the first study, data were collected on children’s personality, CU traits, and three behavioral categories of ASB (physical aggression, relational aggression and non-violent rule-breaking behavior) for community (N = 742) and clinical (N = 183) samples of children. In the community sample, CU traits moderated links between Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Openness to Experience and ASB overall and externalizing behaviors, between Neuroticism, Extraversion and physical aggression and between Agreeableness, Extraversion and rule-breaking behaviors. In the clinical sample, CU traits moderated the link between Agreeableness and externalizing behaviors. In the second study, data were collected on children’s trait anxiety, CU traits, and the same three behavioral categories of ASB in a follow-up adolescent community sample (N = 145). Reactivity of cortisol in response to an unanticipated social stress test was also measured. Results revealed that CU traits moderated links between trait anxiety and ASB overall, externalizing behaviors and physical aggression. In females only, CU traits also moderated links between cortisol reactivity and ASB overall and externalizing behaviors. Combined, the results of these studies support the proposal that CU traits are a clinically useful diagnostic specifier with different implications for behavioral subtypes of ASB. Further, the present findings allow recommendations to be made for future research to further our understanding of the role CU traits play in CD, and to develop targeted interventions.

Although research has demonstrated that some adults with psychopathic traits show better executive functioning and higher intelligence that make them “successful”, there has been very minimal research testing whether similar distinctions can be made in samples of youth with elevated CU traits. Utilizing a sample of 1216 male adolescent first-time offenders, the current study examined whether executive functioning, intelligence and/or impulse control would moderate the relationship between CU traits and antisocial outcomes. The current study also examined whether CU traits were more strongly associated with a number of positive adjustment indicators at higher levels of the moderators. Results did not support successful psychopathy conceptualizations for youth with CU traits. Unlike findings in adult psychopathy research, adolescents high on CU traits who were also of higher intelligence engaged in more aggressive acts. The current findings also indicated that none of the proposed moderators influenced the relationship between CU traits and the positive adjustment indicators.

Baalbaki, F. Callous unemotional hos barn och ungdomar. En systematisk litteraturstudie om föräldraskapets påverkan på dragen. Examensarbete i kriminologi 15 högskolepoäng. Malmö universitet: Fakulteten för hälsa och samhälle, institutionen för kriminologi, 2018. Detta examensarbete i form av en systematisk litteraturstudie handlar om den känslomässiga dysfunktionen med benämningen callous-unemotional (CU). Fokus i studien avser barn och ungdomar upp till 18 år som innehar CU-drag då detta drag är kopplat till antisocialt beteende liksom risk för utveckling av psykopati i vuxen ålder. Det antisociala beteendet hos individerna betyder risk för våld och brottslighet i vuxen ålder. Litteraturstudien syftar till att besvara frågan om hur barn och ungdomar som innehar CU-dragen påverkas av föräldraskapet och är baserad på 14 vetenskapliga artiklar. Resultatet visar att vårdnadshavarna har en viktig roll genom att anknytning, aga, strängt föräldraskap, oengagerat/svagt föräldraskap, oräddhet, värme, positivt föräldraskap, känslighet samt mottaglighet för föräldraskapet har effekt på CU-dragen. Framtida forskning kan fokusera på tidiga interventioner för barn med CU-drag. Nyckelord: Anknytning, Antisocialt beteende, Barn, Callous unemotional, Föräldraskap, Ungdomar / Baalbaki, F. Callous unemotional among children and youth. A systematic literature review about the effect of parenting on the trait. Degree project in criminology, 15 credits. Malmö University: Faculty of Health and Society, Department of criminology, 2018. This bachelor thesis in the form of a systematic literature study is about the emotional dysfunction called callous-unemotional (CU). Focus in the study relates to children and youth who have CU traits because this trait is linked to antisocial behavior, as well as the risk to develop psychopathy in adulthood. The antisocial behavior among individuals means a risk for violence and offending in adulthood. The systematic literature study aims to answer the question of how children and adolescents up to 18 years with CU traits are affected by parenting and the literature study is based on 14 scientific articles. The result shows that the caregivers play an important role through that attachment, corporal punishment, harsh parenting, poor involvement/low positive parenting, fearlessness, warmth, positive parenting, sensitivity and responsiveness for parenting has an effect on the CU-traits. Future research can focus on early interventions for children with CU-traits. Keywords: Attachment, Antisocial behavior, Children, Callous unemotional, Parenting, Youth

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. 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.