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Pezzoli P, Pingault JB, Malanchini M, Voronin I, McCrory E, Fearon P, Viding E. Reciprocal Effects Between Negative Parenting and Children's Callous-Unemotional Traits From Mid to Late Childhood. Am J Psychiatry 2024; 181:310-321. [PMID: 38476045 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20230208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The role of negative parenting in the development of callous-unemotional (CU) traits remains unclear. Both negative parenting and CU traits are influenced by genetic and environmental factors. The authors used genetically informed longitudinal cross-lagged models to examine the extent to which reciprocal effects between negative parenting and children's CU traits in mid-to-late childhood are genetic versus environmental in origin. METHODS In 9,260 twin pairs from the Twins Early Development Study, the authors estimated cross-lagged effects between negative parenting (discipline and feelings) and children's CU traits in mid (ages 7-9) and late (ages 9-12) childhood. RESULTS CU traits were strongly heritable and stable. Stability was explained largely by genetic factors. The influence of negative parenting on the development of CU traits was small and driven mostly by genetic and shared environmental factors. In mid childhood, the influence of children's CU traits on subsequent negative parenting (i.e., evoked by children's CU traits) was also small and mostly genetic in origin. In late childhood, CU traits showed no effects on negative parental discipline and small effects on negative parental feelings, which reflected mostly shared environmental factors. CONCLUSIONS In mid-to-late childhood, genetic factors strongly influenced the development of CU traits, whereas environmental effects of negative parenting were small. Negative parenting was also relatively unaffected by CU traits. The small reciprocal effects originated mostly from genetic and shared environmental factors. Therefore, repeated intensive interventions addressing multiple risk factors rather than negative parenting alone may be best positioned to support families of children with CU traits across development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Pezzoli
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London (Pezzoli, Pingault, McCrory, Fearon, Viding); Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London (Pingault, Malanchini); School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London (Malanchini); École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec (Voronin); Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. (Fearon)
| | - Jean-Baptiste Pingault
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London (Pezzoli, Pingault, McCrory, Fearon, Viding); Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London (Pingault, Malanchini); School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London (Malanchini); École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec (Voronin); Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. (Fearon)
| | - Margherita Malanchini
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London (Pezzoli, Pingault, McCrory, Fearon, Viding); Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London (Pingault, Malanchini); School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London (Malanchini); École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec (Voronin); Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. (Fearon)
| | - Ivan Voronin
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London (Pezzoli, Pingault, McCrory, Fearon, Viding); Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London (Pingault, Malanchini); School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London (Malanchini); École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec (Voronin); Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. (Fearon)
| | - Eamon McCrory
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London (Pezzoli, Pingault, McCrory, Fearon, Viding); Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London (Pingault, Malanchini); School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London (Malanchini); École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec (Voronin); Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. (Fearon)
| | - Pasco Fearon
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London (Pezzoli, Pingault, McCrory, Fearon, Viding); Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London (Pingault, Malanchini); School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London (Malanchini); École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec (Voronin); Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. (Fearon)
| | - Essi Viding
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London (Pezzoli, Pingault, McCrory, Fearon, Viding); Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London (Pingault, Malanchini); School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London (Malanchini); École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec (Voronin); Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K. (Fearon)
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Docherty M, Decrop R, McManamon B, Boxer P, Dubow EF, Huesmann LR. Exposure to violence predicts callous-unemotional traits and aggression in adolescence in the context of persistent ethnic-political conflict and violence. Aggress Behav 2023; 49:655-668. [PMID: 37539489 PMCID: PMC10592434 DOI: 10.1002/ab.22103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
According to social-cognitive ecological theory, violence exposure increases emotional factors-such as callous-unemotional (CU) traits-which then contribute to engagement in aggressive behavior. However, previous research has generally not tested this mediational pathway, particularly in the context of persistent ethnic-political violence exposure. The present study examined associations among violence exposure, CU traits, and aggression in a sample of 1051 youth in the Middle East (Palestine and Israel), using youth- and parent-reported data in a cohort-sequential design with three age cohorts (starting ages 8, 11, and 14 years) assessed over four waves spanning 6 years. Results from structural equation models with latent variables indicated that cumulative violence exposure in childhood and adolescence (measured annually for 3 years, and comprising exposure across multiple settings including political, community, family, and school) predicted later CU traits and aggression in adolescence and early adulthood, even after controlling for earlier levels of aggression and CU traits and demographic characteristics (child age and sex and parental socioeconomic status). Additionally, in mediation analyses, CU significantly mediated the association from earlier cumulative violence exposure to concurrent aggression, while aggression did not significantly mediate the association from earlier exposure to concurrent CU traits. The results of this study suggest that violence exposure leads to both aggressive behavior and a constellation of traits that place youth at greater risk for subsequent aggressive behavior, and that CU traits could partially explain the increased risk of aggression after violence exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Paul Boxer
- University of Michigan
- Rutgers University-Newark
| | - Eric F. Dubow
- Bowling Green State University
- University of Michigan
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Cardoso AR, Costa MJ, Sani AI, Moreira D. Callous and Unemotional Traits as Precursors to the Development of Female Psychopathy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6786. [PMID: 37754645 PMCID: PMC10530721 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20186786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Conduct a systematic review concerning the literature that reflects whether the callous and unemotional traits present in childhood and/or adolescence are precursors in the development of female psychopathy in adulthood. MATERIALS AND METHODS A systematic review involved consulting three databases-EBSCO, the Web of Science, and PubMed-for peer-reviewed and quantitative studies within the period 2000-2023. Nine articles with quality of three and above were included. RESULTS The presence of callous and unemotional traits designates a group of youth that show characteristics associated with psychopathy, specifically when predicting a more severe and chronic pattern of antisocial behaviour. Children with high rates of callous and unemotional traits, who show symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in combination with severe conduct problems, are most likely to show features associated with psychopathy. The multidimensional psychopathy construct is considered a better predictor of future and stable antisocial behaviour than the callous and unemotional traits alone model. CONCLUSIONS According to the studies selected, the callous and unemotional traits in childhood seem to be precursors of female psychopathy in adulthood, but only because of the way they seem to enhance conduct problems, disruptive behaviour disorders, and, as a possible outcome, delinquency and antisocial traits, which may be precursors of future psychopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Raquel Cardoso
- Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Praça 9 de Abril, 349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.C.); (M.J.C.); (A.I.S.)
| | - Maria João Costa
- Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Praça 9 de Abril, 349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.C.); (M.J.C.); (A.I.S.)
| | - Ana Isabel Sani
- Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Praça 9 de Abril, 349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal; (A.R.C.); (M.J.C.); (A.I.S.)
- Observatory Permanent Violence and Crime (OPVC), FP-I3ID, Fernando Pessoa University, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal
- Research Center on Child Studies (CIEC), University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Diana Moreira
- Observatory Permanent Violence and Crime (OPVC), FP-I3ID, Fernando Pessoa University, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Projecto Homem, Centro de Solidariedade de Braga, Rua do Alcaide 29/31 Cividade, 4700-024 Braga, Portugal
- IPNP Health, Institute of Psychology and Neuropsychology of Porto, 4000-053 Porto, Portugal
- Centre for Philosophical and Humanistic Studies, Centro Regional de Braga, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Rua de Camões, 60, 4710-362 Braga, Portugal
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Cavanagh C, Simmons C, Liggett OMalley R, Frick PJ, Steinberg L, Cauffman E. The Moderating Role of Maternal CU Traits in the Stability of Justice-Involved Adolescents' CU Traits. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL FOR THE SOCIETY OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY, AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, DIVISION 53 2022:1-15. [PMID: 35394388 DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2022.2051522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Callous-unemotional (CU) traits are associated with chronic and severe antisocial behavior. Although previous research has found that parents play an important role in the etiology and maintenance of youth CU traits, little research has examined the extent that parents' own CU traits impact the stability of their children's CU traits. The present study investigated the moderating role of maternal CU traits on developmental changes in youth CU traits. METHOD A sample of 346 mother-son dyads, in which all youth were justice-involved males (Mage = 15.81; 57.80% Latino, 20.52% White, 18.21% Black, 3.47% other race/ethnicity), across three states (California, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania) completed a semi-structured interview. RESULTS Youth exhibited a decrease in CU traits over 30 months. Mothers' CU traits moderated this relation, such that high maternal CU traits were associated with a smaller decrease in CU traits than low or average maternal CU traits, both when considering youth CU traits continuously and using a clinically significant cut score. The findings remained for continuous CU traits even after accounting for environmental factors (i.e., maternal warmth, maternal hostility, victimization, and witnessing violence), and these environmental factors did not vary over time. CONCLUSION The results highlight the importance of maternal influence in understanding how youth CU traits change over time, and have important implications for the use of parenting and family-level interventions among justice-involved youth.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Paul J Frick
- Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University
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Savell SM, Womack SR, Wilson MN, Lemery-Chalfant K, Shaw DS. Indirect Associations between Middle-Childhood Externalizing Behaviors and Adolescent Substance Use through Late-Childhood Exposure to Violence. J Youth Adolesc 2022; 51:628-642. [PMID: 35107744 PMCID: PMC8994499 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-022-01575-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Longitudinal research to understand individual risk factors in childhood associated with exposure to violence and substance use is needed to inform prevention efforts. The present study tested indirect associations between age 8.5 externalizing behaviors and age 16 substance use through age 9.5 violence victimization and witnessing. Participants were 650 racially diverse (48.6% European American, 28.1% African American, 13.3% multiracial, and 10.0% other), predominantly socioeconomically disadvantaged youth (49% female). Externalizing behaviors were associated with higher levels of violence victimization and witnessing. The indirect path from externalizing behaviors to substance use was significant through victimization but not witnessing violence. Interventions aimed at reducing early externalizing behaviors may reduce risk for violence victimization, which may, in turn, reduce risk for adolescent substance use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon M Savell
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA.
| | - Sean R Womack
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
| | - Melvin N Wilson
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
| | | | - Daniel S Shaw
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
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Chang S, Hou Q, Wang C, Wang M, Wang L, Zhang W. Childhood maltreatment and violent delinquency in Chinese juvenile offenders: Callous-unemotional traits as a mediator. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2021; 117:105085. [PMID: 33992875 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescents in China suffer a high prevalence of childhood maltreatment, which has been shown to facilitate juvenile violent delinquency. Studies have implicated a relationship between callous-unemotional traits and both juvenile violent delinquency and childhood maltreatment. However, the complex relationships among these three variables have not yet been examined. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of callous-unemotional traits in the relationship between different types of childhood maltreatment and juvenile violent delinquency. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Childhood maltreatment and callous-unemotional traits were assessed in a sample of 441 juvenile violent offenders and a control group of 543 non-offenders, using questionnaires. METHODS After controlling for socio-economic status, a mediation analysis determined the direct, indirect, and total effect of the mediation of callous-unemotional traits in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and juvenile violent delinquency. RESULTS The results showed no mediation of callous-unemotional traits in the relationship between physical abuse and juvenile violent delinquency. However, callous-unemotional traits mediated the relationship between sexual abuse and juvenile violent delinquency as well as between emotional neglect and juvenile violent delinquency. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that sexual abuse has both a direct and indirect effect on juvenile violent delinquency via callous-unemotional traits, whereas childhood emotional neglect had only an indirect effect on juvenile violent delinquency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumin Chang
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, No. 1, Da Xue Road, Jinan City, Shandong Province, 250358, China.
| | - Qingqing Hou
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, No. 1, Da Xue Road, Jinan City, Shandong Province, 250358, China.
| | - Chengyi Wang
- Department of Professional Basic Courses, Shandong Police College, No.54 Wenhua East Road, Jinan City, Shandong Province, 250014, China.
| | - Meifang Wang
- Research Center for Child Development, College of Elementary Education, Capital Normal University, No.105 Xisan Huan Beilu, Beijing, 100048, China.
| | - Lingxiao Wang
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, No. 1, Da Xue Road, Jinan City, Shandong Province, 250358, China.
| | - Wenxin Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, No. 1, Da Xue Road, Jinan City, Shandong Province, 250358, China.
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Mallion JS, Wood JL. Comparison of Emotional Dispositions Between Street Gang and Non-Gang Prisoners. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2021; 36:4018-4038. [PMID: 30019991 DOI: 10.1177/0886260518789147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Effectively recognizing, identifying, and utilizing emotional stimuli is essential for successful social interactions, with deficits in these robustly identified as risk factors for offending. Psychological understanding of street gang membership is limited, particularly surrounding emotional dispositions distinguishing street gang from non-gang offenders. This study examined how street gang members compare with non-gang offenders on trait emotional intelligence (TEI), antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), callous-unemotional traits, anger rumination, and aggression. Recruited through volunteer sampling, participants included 73 (44 street gang and 29 non-gang) male offenders incarcerated at a U.K. Category C prison. Participants completed seven questionnaires assessing emotional dispositions, social desirability, and, consistent with the Eurogang definition, street gang membership. To compare participants' demographics and identify the predictors of street gang membership, chi-square and discriminant function analyses were conducted. With a significant discriminant function, Λ = .80, χ2(6) = 14.96, p = .021, high levels of ASPD, anger rumination, and aggression and low levels of TEI predict street gang membership. Compared with non-gang prisoners, street gang prisoners did not differ on callous-unemotional traits, age, or ethnicity. Results suggest that, compared with non-gang prisoners, street gang members were more likely to possess dysfunctional emotional dispositions. Findings from this research have important implications in terms of developing interventions for street gang membership. Specifically, this research supports the need for gang-specific early intervention and prevention programs, with emotion-focused components. Ideas for future research are discussed, including the identification of further sociocognitive, personality, and emotional traits distinguishing street gang from non-gang offenders.
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The comparative and cumulative impact of different forms of violence exposure during childhood and adolescence on long-term adult outcomes. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 34:1313-1328. [PMID: 33779534 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420002254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Violence exposure during childhood and adolescence is associated with a range of negative psychosocial outcomes. Research examining the impact of violence exposure has been limited by the compartmentalization into separate bodies of research (e.g., community violence, domestic violence). There is also a paucity of research examining long-term adult outcomes. Using a large and racially diverse sample (n = 754; male = 58%; Black = 46%), the current longitudinal study aimed to elucidate the comparative and cumulative effect of different types of violence exposure (witnessing vs. victimization) across different locations (home, school, neighborhood) in childhood and adolescence (lifetime through Grade 8) on long-term internalizing, externalizing, and attention problems; substance use; and intimate partner violence in adulthood (age 25). Victimization, but not witnessing violence, predicted all five adult outcomes. Specifically, being victimized at home was associated with the widest range of negative outcomes (internalizing, externalizing, and attention problems), while school victimization was associated with substance use. Further, when youth experienced multiple types of violence across multiple locations (cumulative violence exposure), they experienced a more diverse range of negative outcomes in adulthood (composite score). The current study highlights the stronger effects of violence exposure in more proximal contexts, and how these locations are important for emotional and behavioral development.
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Walters GD. Exposure to Violence as a Mediator of the CU–Aggression Relationship: on the Importance of Establishing the Causal Direction of Variables in a Path Analysis. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10862-018-9670-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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