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Kilshaw RE, Kerig PK, Baucom BRW. Vocally-Encoded Emotional Arousal as a Marker of Callous-Unemotional Traits in a Sample of Justice-Involved Adolescents. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2024; 55:1238-1249. [PMID: 36572843 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-022-01486-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Callous-unemotional (CU) traits are associated with severe and persistent juvenile offending. CU traits are also associated with dampened emotional arousal, which suggests that fundamental frequency (f0), a measure of vocally-encoded emotional arousal, may serve as an accessible psychophysiological marker of CU traits in youth. This study investigated the associations between f0 range measured during an emotionally evocative task, CU traits, and emotion dysregulation in a mixed-gender sample of 168 justice-involved youth. For boys, after controlling for covariates, wider f0 range-indicating greater emotional arousal-was negatively associated with CU traits and positively associated with emotion dysregulation. For girls, no significant associations with f0 range emerged; however, CU traits were positively associated with emotion dysregulation. Findings suggest that f0 range may serve as a valid indicator of CU traits in JJ-involved boys, and that detained boys and girls with high CU traits are characterized by different profiles of emotion dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn E Kilshaw
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, 380 S 1530 E BEH S 502, UT, 84112, Salt Lake City, USA.
| | - Patricia K Kerig
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA
| | - Brian R W Baucom
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA
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2
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Blankenstein NE, Bouwmeester S, van Haeringen SL, van Klink RT, van der Meule LM, Jansen LMC. Who is at risk? Applying the biopsychosocial model to explain non-violent and violent delinquency in youth. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 69:101428. [PMID: 39180930 PMCID: PMC11385395 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 06/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Research has highlighted the relevance of biological measures in explaining antisocial behavior, but the inclusion of such measures in clinical practice is lagging behind. According to the integrative biopsychosocial model, biological measures should be studied together with psychological and social-environmental factors. In this data-driven study, we applied this comprehensive model to explain non-violent and violent delinquency of 876 at-risk youth (715 male, 9-27 years), by combining nine biological (autonomic-nervous-system; endocrinological), nine psychological, and seven social-environmental measures. Using latent-class-regression analysis we uncovered four distinct psychologically-driven biological clusters, which differed in non-violent and violent delinquency-risk, moderated by social-environmental variables: a biological-psychopathic traits; low problem; high problem; and biological-reactive group. Individual vulnerabilities to (non-)violent delinquency depended on social-environmental context that differed between clusters. These findings highlight the importance of biological and psychological factors, in the context of social-environmental factors, in explaining (non)-violent delinquency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeltje E Blankenstein
- Section Youth at Risk, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health, Mental Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, the Netherlands.
| | - Samantha Bouwmeester
- Out of the Box Plot, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Developmental Psychology, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, the Netherlands
| | - Sterre L van Haeringen
- Section Youth at Risk, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health, Mental Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Rowan T van Klink
- Section Youth at Risk, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health, Mental Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lieke M van der Meule
- Section Youth at Risk, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health, Mental Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lucres M C Jansen
- Section Youth at Risk, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health, Mental Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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3
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Dattagupta J, Banerjee A, Maji BK, Chattopadhyay PK. A multifaceted approach to identifying and managing juvenile delinquency by integrating psycho-physiological indicators. Int J Adolesc Med Health 2024; 36:321-333. [PMID: 38760876 DOI: 10.1515/ijamh-2024-0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
To understand and treat juvenile delinquency, the study explores the relevance of psycho-physiological indicators. It also emphasizes the necessity for thorough research to minimize the gap existing between psycho-physiological measurements and conventional psychosocial components. The study focuses on the relevance of personality features, habituation, and autonomic arousal required to monitor the proper management of delinquent conduct. Through the integration of biological, psychological, and social elements into a multidimensional approach, researchers can uncover novel insights and create cutting-edge therapies for youths who are at risk of delinquent behavior. The study proposes to develop a comprehensive framework that considers biological antecedents in addition to conventional metrics to reach the root cause of delinquency; thereby drawing special attention to current literature and research that emphasizes the psycho-physiological correlates of delinquency. By examining the complex interactions between stress, physiology, emotions, behavior, and social structures, the study highlights the intricacy of delinquent conduct and the necessity for adopting a multifaceted strategy to fully address the problematic areas. Future research paths are emphasized, with a focus on the significance of longitudinal studies, moderating and mediating variables, and creative treatment techniques. By utilizing psycho-physiological markers and psychosocial traits, researchers can tailor intervention strategies to meet individual needs effectively. Early identification of psycho-physiological deficits in children is crucial for implementing successful behavior modification techniques and promoting the well-being of future generations. This is expected to help the government agencies to save time and public money.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayita Dattagupta
- Department of Controller of Examinations, 30163 University of Calcutta , Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Arnab Banerjee
- Department of Physiology (UG & PG), 212035 Serampore College , Serampore, West Bengal, India
| | - Bithin Kumar Maji
- Department of Physiology (UG & PG), 212035 Serampore College , Serampore, West Bengal, India
| | - Prabal Kumar Chattopadhyay
- Department of Psychology, University Professor & Head of the Department (Retired), University of Calcutta, West Bengal, India
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4
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Voulgaris A, Biedermann SV, Biedermann D, Bründl S, Roth L, Wiessner C, Briken P, Fuss J. The impact of psychopathic traits on anxiety-related behaviors in a mixed reality environment. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11832. [PMID: 38782995 PMCID: PMC11116403 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62438-9] [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: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
There is an ongoing debate about anxiety deficits in psychopathy and their possible impact on individual behavior. Data on actual anxiety- and threat-related behavior associated with psychopathy is still limited. We performed a mixed reality study using the elevated plus-maze (EPM) in a non-clinical sample (N = 160) to test anxiety-related behavior in relation to psychopathic personality traits measured through the Brief Questionnaire of Psychopathic Personality Traits (FPP). The psychopathy sum score correlated significantly with all measures of anxiety-related behavior on the EPM. Sensation seeking, but not general levels of acrophobia was moreover associated with psychopathic traits. Multivariate analyses revealed that the subscales Fearlessness and Lack of Empathy of the FPP predicted anxious behavior. Our findings are the first to demonstrate the relationship between psychopathic traits and actual behavior in an anxiety-inducing environment. This supports the low-anxiety hypothesis in psychopathy research. Implications for potentially harmful or risky behavior are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Voulgaris
- Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Institute for Sex Research, Sexual Medicine, and Forensic Psychiatry, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Sarah V Biedermann
- Social and Emotional Neuroscience Group, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Biedermann
- Social and Emotional Neuroscience Group, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and Sex Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Alfredstr. 68-72, 45130, Essen, Germany
| | - Susanne Bründl
- Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and Sex Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Alfredstr. 68-72, 45130, Essen, Germany
| | - Lateefah Roth
- Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and Sex Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Alfredstr. 68-72, 45130, Essen, Germany
| | - Christian Wiessner
- Center for Experimental Medicine, Institute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Peer Briken
- Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Institute for Sex Research, Sexual Medicine, and Forensic Psychiatry, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Fuss
- Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and Sex Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Alfredstr. 68-72, 45130, Essen, Germany.
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5
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Fanti KA, Mavrommatis I, Díaz-Vázquez B, López-Romero L, Romero E, Álvarez-Voces M, Colins OF, Andershed H, Thomson N. Fearlessness as an Underlying Mechanism Leading to Conduct Problems: Testing the INTERFEAR Model in a Community Sample in Spain. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:546. [PMID: 38790541 PMCID: PMC11119632 DOI: 10.3390/children11050546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Conduct problems (CP) in childhood and adolescence have a significant impact on the individual, family, and community. To improve treatment for CP, there is a need to improve the understanding of the developmental pathways leading to CP in boys and girls. Prior research has linked the child's fearlessness and callous-unemotional (CU) traits, as well as experiences of parental warmth and punitive parenting, to CP. However, few studies have tested the interplay of these factors in contributing to future CP development. The present study aimed to test the InterFear model, which suggests that fearlessness in early childhood leads to CP through an indirect pathway involving low positive parenting, high negative/punitive parenting, and callous-unemotional (CU) traits. The sample included 2467 Spanish children (48.1% girls; Mage = 4.25; SD = 0.91), followed up across a five-year period. Besides a direct association between fearlessness in early childhood and future CP, the results found an indirect pathway whereby fearlessness reduces positive parenting and increases punitive parenting, which contributes to the development of CU traits and sets the stage for CP in later childhood. The specific indirect effect from fearlessness to CP via CU traits accounted for most of the variance, suggesting the existence of a temperamental pathway independent of parental variables. Further, two additional indirect pathways, exclusive of fearlessness, were identified, which started with low parental warmth and positive parenting, leading to CP via CU traits. These findings support the InterFear model, demonstrating multiple pathways to CP with the involvement of fearlessness, parenting practices, and CU traits. This model might play a pivotal role in the development of targeted prevention and intervention strategies for CP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kostas A. Fanti
- Department of Psychology, Faculty od Social Sciences and Education, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus;
| | - Ioannis Mavrommatis
- Department of Psychology, Faculty od Social Sciences and Education, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus;
| | - Beatriz Díaz-Vázquez
- Instituto de Psicoloxía (IPsiUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (B.D.-V.); (L.L.-R.); (E.R.); (M.Á.-V.)
| | - Laura López-Romero
- Instituto de Psicoloxía (IPsiUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (B.D.-V.); (L.L.-R.); (E.R.); (M.Á.-V.)
| | - Estrella Romero
- Instituto de Psicoloxía (IPsiUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (B.D.-V.); (L.L.-R.); (E.R.); (M.Á.-V.)
| | - María Álvarez-Voces
- Instituto de Psicoloxía (IPsiUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (B.D.-V.); (L.L.-R.); (E.R.); (M.Á.-V.)
| | - Olivier F. Colins
- Department of Special Needs Education, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Siences, Ghent University, Dunantlaan 1, 9000 Gent, Belgium;
| | - Henrik Andershed
- School of Behavioural, Social and Legal Sciences, Örebro University, 701 82 Örebro, Sweden;
| | - Nicholas Thomson
- Department of Surgery and Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA;
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Thomson ND, Kjærvik SL, Blondell VJ, Hazlett LE. The Interplay between Fear Reactivity and Callous-Unemotional Traits Predicting Reactive and Proactive Aggression. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:379. [PMID: 38671596 PMCID: PMC11049142 DOI: 10.3390/children11040379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Research has indicated that youths with CU traits are fearless, and this fearlessness plays a bidirectional role in both the development of CU traits and engagement in aggressive behavior. However, research specifically testing the role of fear in the association between CU traits and aggression is scarce. The goal of the current study was to test if fear reactivity, both conscious (self-report) and automatic (skin conductance reactivity; SCR), moderated the association between CU traits and aggression subtypes (reactive and proactive aggression). Participants included 161 adolescents (Mage = 15 years) diagnosed with conduct disorder. CU traits were assessed using the self-report Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits. Conscious and automatic fear reactivity were measured during a virtual reality rollercoaster using the Self-Assessment Manikin and skin conductance reactivity (SCR), respectively. Hierarchical regressions found that high fear reactivity on SCR moderated the link between CU traits and reactive aggression, while feeling more excited during fear induction moderated the link between CU traits and proactive aggression. Overall, a possible explanation of our divergent findings between conscious and automatic fear may be the difference between the instinctual biological response to threat versus the cognitive and emotional appraisal and experience of threat. Implications for intervention strategies targeting emotional recognition and regulation in reducing aggression in CD populations are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas D. Thomson
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA; (S.L.K.); (V.J.B.); (L.E.H.)
| | - Sophie L. Kjærvik
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA; (S.L.K.); (V.J.B.); (L.E.H.)
| | - Victoria J. Blondell
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA; (S.L.K.); (V.J.B.); (L.E.H.)
| | - Laura E. Hazlett
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA; (S.L.K.); (V.J.B.); (L.E.H.)
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Raine A, Brodrick L, Pardini D, Jennings JR, Waller R. Increased cardiac vagal tone in childhood-only, adolescent-only, and persistently antisocial teenagers: the mediating role of low heart rate. Psychol Med 2024:1-9. [PMID: 38469880 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291724000552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiac vagal tone is an indicator of parasympathetic nervous system functioning, and there is increasing interest in its relation to antisocial behavior. It is unclear however whether antisocial individuals are characterized by increased or decreased vagal tone, and whether increased vagal tone is the source of the low heart rate frequently reported in antisocial populations. METHODS Participants consisted of four groups of community-dwelling adolescent boys aged 15.7 years: (1) controls, (2) childhood-only antisocial, (3) adolescent-only antisocial, and (4) persistently antisocial. Heart rate and vagal tone were assessed in three different conditions: rest, cognitive stressor, and social stressor. RESULTS All three antisocial groups had both lower resting heart rates and increased vagal tone compared to the low antisocial controls across all three conditions. Low heart rate partially mediated the relationship between vagal tone and antisocial behavior. CONCLUSIONS Results indicate that increased vagal tone and reduced heart rate are relatively broad risk factors for different developmental forms of antisocial behavior. Findings are the first to implicate vagal tone as an explanatory factor in understanding heart rate - antisocial behavior relationships. Future experimental work using non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation or heart rate variability biofeedback is needed to more systematically evaluate this conclusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Raine
- Departments of Criminology, Psychiatry, and Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Lia Brodrick
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Dustin Pardini
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
| | - J Richard Jennings
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Rebecca Waller
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
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Panteli M, Constantinou T, Vrachimi-Souroulla A, Fanti K, Panayiotou G. Subjective and Autonomic Arousal toward Emotional Stimuli in Preadolescents with Externalizing Problems and the Role of Explicit and Implicit Emotion Regulation. Brain Sci 2024; 14:84. [PMID: 38248299 PMCID: PMC10813789 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14010084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Children and adolescents with externalizing problems show physiological hypo-reactivity toward affective stimuli, which may relate to their disruptive, antisocial, and thrill-seeking behaviors. This study examines differences in explicit and implicit emotion regulation between preadolescents with and without externalizing problems as well as the role of emotion regulation in subjective and autonomic responses to emotional stimuli. Preadolescents showing self- and other-reported externalizing psychopathology, and a control sample, without such difficulties, participated in a passive affective picture-viewing task with neutral, fearful, joyful, and sad images, while their heart rate and heart rate variability were measured. Participants also reported on their emotion regulation difficulties using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Compared to controls, youths scoring high on externalizing problems (1) reported greater emotion regulation difficulties, especially a lack of emotional clarity and difficulty in controlling impulsive actions, (2) showed higher resting heart rate variability and a lower resting heart rate, suggestive of higher emotion/autonomic regulation ability, and (3) showed both subjective and physiological hypo-arousal to emotional pictures. Heart rate variability and, to a lesser degree difficulties in emotional clarity, modulated the effects of emotional pictures on subjective and physiological arousal. Findings suggest that interventions to improve emotion regulation and awareness may help to prevent externalizing problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Panteli
- Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus
- Center for Applied Neuroscience, University of Cyprus, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus
| | - Thekla Constantinou
- Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus
- Center for Applied Neuroscience, University of Cyprus, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus
| | | | - Kostas Fanti
- Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus
| | - Georgia Panayiotou
- Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus
- Center for Applied Neuroscience, University of Cyprus, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus
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Schulter G, Milek B, Lackner HK, Weber B, Fink A, Rominger C, Perchtold-Stefan C, Papousek I. Diagnosing callous-unemotional personality traits by heart rate orienting responses to images inducing threat and distress. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22063. [PMID: 38086856 PMCID: PMC10716146 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49307-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed at developing a rather easily applicable method of testing physiological reactions to images of threats and misery. To this end, rapid-changing, transient heart rate orienting responses were used for gaining physiologically based, objective responses to the images. Additionally, subjective ratings were obtained. A significant insensitivity to other's welfare and well-being was already demonstrated as a core feature of callous-unemotional personalities. Thus, physiologically based methods may supplement and possibly improve existing assessments and, in particular, may contribute to a multimodal assessment of psychopathic traits. Out of a non-forensic community sample of 122 men, we selected two extreme groups of 30 participants with the lowest and highest callous-unemotional traits respectively, ascertained by questionnaires. As expected, participants with higher scores of callous-unemotional traits showed smaller responses to distress cues in both heart rate responses and subjective ratings. Moreover, within the group with high callous-unemotional traits heart rate responses to threatening as well as distress cues did not significantly differ from responses to neutral pictures. The study provides further evidence for the idea that a lack of responsiveness to distress cues may be seen as a central feature of callous-unemotional personalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Günter Schulter
- Biological Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
| | - Beatrice Milek
- Biological Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Helmut Karl Lackner
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Physiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Bernhard Weber
- Biological Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Andreas Fink
- Biological Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Christian Rominger
- Biological Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Ilona Papousek
- Biological Psychology Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
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10
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Werhahn JE, Smigielski L, Sacu S, Mohl S, Willinger D, Naaijen J, Mulder LM, Glennon JC, Hoekstra PJ, Dietrich A, Deters RK, Aggensteiner PM, Holz NE, Baumeister S, Banaschewski T, Saam MC, Schulze UME, Lythgoe DJ, Sethi A, Craig M, Mastroianni M, Sagar-Ouriaghli I, Santosh PJ, Rosa M, Bargallo N, Castro-Fornieles J, Arango C, Penzol MJ, Zwiers MP, Franke B, Buitelaar JK, Walitza S, Brandeis D. Different whole-brain functional connectivity correlates of reactive-proactive aggression and callous-unemotional traits in children and adolescents with disruptive behaviors. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 40:103542. [PMID: 37988996 PMCID: PMC10701077 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disruptive behavior in children and adolescents can manifest as reactive aggression and proactive aggression and is modulated by callous-unemotional traits and other comorbidities. Neural correlates of these aggression dimensions or subtypes and comorbid symptoms remain largely unknown. This multi-center study investigated the relationship between resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) and aggression subtypes considering comorbidities. METHODS The large sample of children and adolescents aged 8-18 years (n = 207; mean age = 13.30±2.60 years, 150 males) included 118 cases with disruptive behavior (80 with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and/or Conduct Disorder) and 89 controls. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety symptom scores were analyzed as covariates when assessing group differences and dimensional aggression effects on hypothesis-free global and local voxel-to-voxel whole-brain rsFC based on functional magnetic resonance imaging at 3 Tesla. RESULTS Compared to controls, the cases demonstrated altered rsFC in frontal areas, when anxiety but not ADHD symptoms were controlled for. For cases, reactive and proactive aggression scores were related to global and local rsFC in the central gyrus and precuneus, regions linked to aggression-related impairments. Callous-unemotional trait severity was correlated with ICC in the inferior and middle temporal regions implicated in empathy, emotion, and reward processing. Most observed aggression subtype-specific patterns could only be identified when ADHD and anxiety were controlled for. CONCLUSIONS This study clarifies that hypothesis-free brain connectivity measures can disentangle distinct though overlapping dimensions of aggression in youths. Moreover, our results highlight the importance of considering comorbid symptoms to detect aggression-related rsFC alterations in youths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia E Werhahn
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lukasz Smigielski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Seda Sacu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Susanna Mohl
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - David Willinger
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jilly Naaijen
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Leandra M Mulder
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jeffrey C Glennon
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Conway Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Research, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Pieter J Hoekstra
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea Dietrich
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Renee Kleine Deters
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Pascal M Aggensteiner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Nathalie E Holz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sarah Baumeister
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Melanie C Saam
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Ulrike M E Schulze
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - David J Lythgoe
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Arjun Sethi
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Craig
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mathilde Mastroianni
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ilyas Sagar-Ouriaghli
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paramala J Santosh
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mireia Rosa
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nuria Bargallo
- Clinic Image Diagnostic Center (CDIC), Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Magnetic Resonance Image Core Facility, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josefina Castro-Fornieles
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology Department, Institute Clinic of Neurosciences, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, CIBERSAM, IDIBAPS, Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Celso Arango
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, IiSGM, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria J Penzol
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, IiSGM, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marcel P Zwiers
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara Franke
- Departments of Human Genetics and Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center. Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan K Buitelaar
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Susanne Walitza
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Brandeis
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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11
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Payot M, Monseur C, Stievenart M. Variants of Callous-unemotional traits in childhood: investigation of attachment profile and hostile attribution bias. Attach Hum Dev 2023; 25:566-582. [PMID: 37750612 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2023.2258604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence of interest in describing two variants of CallousUnemotional (CU) traits based on high (secondary variant) or low (primary variant) levels of anxiety. However, studies are limited in childhood. The present study aimed to further the understanding of the variants, specifically in association with hostile attribution bias (HAB) and attachment. In a community sample of children aged 4 to 9 (N = 70), the study examined whether anxiety moderated the association of CU traits with HAB, secure and disorganized attachment representations. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that CU traits were positively associated with disorganized attachment, regardless of the anxiety level. In contrast, CU traits were not associated with secure attachment. A significant interaction revealed that CU traits were positively associated with HAB only at high levels of anxiety. Implications for understanding the variants of CU traits and hypotheses regarding their developmental trajectories are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Payot
- Research Unit for a life-Course perspective on Health & Education, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - C Monseur
- Research Unit for a life-Course perspective on Health & Education, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - M Stievenart
- Research Unit for a life-Course perspective on Health & Education, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
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12
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Perlstein S, Wagner N, Domínguez-Álvarez B, Gómez-Fraguela JA, Romero E, Lopez-Romero L, Waller R. Psychometric Properties, Factor Structure, and Validity of the Sensitivity to Threat and Affiliative Reward Scale in Children and Adults. Assessment 2023; 30:1914-1934. [PMID: 36245403 PMCID: PMC10687739 DOI: 10.1177/10731911221128946] [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] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits identify children at high risk of antisocial behavior. A recent theoretical model proposed that CU traits arise from low sensitivity to threat and affiliation. To assess these dimensions, we developed the parent- and self-reported Sensitivity to Threat and Affiliative Reward Scale (STARS) and tested its psychometric properties, factor structure, and construct validity. Samples 1 (N =3 03; age 3-10; United States) and 2 (N = 854 age 5-9; Spain) were children and Sample 3 was 514 young adults (Mage = 19.89; United States). In Sample 1, differential item functioning and item response theory techniques were used to identify the best-performing items from a 64-item pool, resulting in 28 items that functioned equivalently across age and gender. Factor analysis indicated acceptable fit for the theorized two-factor structure with separate threat and affiliation factors in all three samples, which showed predictive validity in relation to CU traits in children and psychopathic traits in young adults.
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13
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Payot M, Monseur C, Stievenart M. Primary and Secondary Variants of Callous-Unemotional Traits in Early and Middle Childhood: Distinction, Evaluation and Empathic Differences. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2023:10.1007/s10578-023-01576-z. [PMID: 37552334 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-023-01576-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Current literature demonstrates the relevance of considering two variants of CU traits based on high or low levels of anxiety. However, there is limited information about these variants in young community samples. The current study used cluster analyses to investigate the primary and the secondary variants of CU traits in two samples of children: preschool (N = 107; Mage = 4.95, SD = 0.62) and school-age (N = 153; Mage = 7.49, SD = 1.11). The identified clusters were compared on empathic dimensions, aggressive behavior and criteria from the "with limited prosocial emotions" specifier from the DSM-V. The primary variant was identified as early as preschool age while the secondary variant was only identified in the school-age sample. In this latter sample, the two variants did not differ on assessed variables, except for aggressive behavior. Despite the similarities between the two variants, these results suggest distinct developmental trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgane Payot
- Research Unit for a Life-Course Perspective on Health & Education, University of Liege, Place des Orateurs, 1, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
| | - Christian Monseur
- Research Unit for a Life-Course Perspective on Health & Education, University of Liege, Place des Orateurs, 1, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Marie Stievenart
- Research Unit for a Life-Course Perspective on Health & Education, University of Liege, Place des Orateurs, 1, 4000, Liège, Belgium
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14
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Dugré JR, Potvin S. Altered functional connectivity of the amygdala across variants of callous-unemotional traits: A resting-state fMRI study in children and adolescents. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 163:32-42. [PMID: 37201236 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.05.002] [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] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Over the past years, research has shown that primary (high callousness and low anxiety) and secondary (high callousness and anxiety) variants of CU traits may be associated with opposite amygdala activity (hypo- and hyper-reactivity, respectively). However, their differences in amygdala functional connectivity remains largely unexplored. We conducted a Latent Profile Analysis on a large sample of adolescents (n = 1416) to identify homogeneous subgroups with different levels of callousness and anxiety. We then performed a seed-to-voxel connectivity analysis on resting-state fMRI data to compare subgroups on connectivity patterns of the amygdala. We examined the results in relation to conduct problems to identify potential neural risk factors. The Latent Profile Analysis revealed four subgroups, including the primary and secondary variants, anxious, and typically developing adolescents. The seed-to-voxel analyses showed that the primary variant was mainly characterized by increased connectivity between the left amygdala and left thalamus. The secondary variant exhibited deficient connectivity between the amygdala and the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, temporo-parietal junction, premotor, and postcentral gyrus. Both variants showed increased connectivity between the left amygdala and the right thalamus but exhibited opposite functional connectivity between the left amygdala and the parahippocampal gyrus. Dimensional analyses indicated that conduct problems may play a mediating role between callousness and amygdala-dmPFC functional connectivity across youths with already high levels of callousness. Our study highlights that both variants differ in the functional connectivity of the amygdala. Our results support the importance of disentangling the heterogeneity of adolescents at risk for conduct problems in neuroimaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jules R Dugré
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.
| | - Stéphane Potvin
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.
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15
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Masi G, Carucci S, Muratori P, Balia C, Sesso G, Milone A. Contemporary diagnosis and treatment of conduct disorder in youth. Expert Rev Neurother 2023; 23:1277-1296. [PMID: 37853718 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2023.2271169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Conduct disorder (CD) is characterized by repetitive and persistent antisocial behaviors, being among the most frequently reported reasons of referral in youth. CD is a highly heterogeneous disorder, with possible specifiers defined according to age at onset, Limited Prosocial Emotions (LPE) otherwise known as Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits, Emotional Dysregulation (ED), and patterns of comorbidity, each with its own specific developmental trajectories. AREAS COVERED The authors review the evidence from published literature on the clinical presentations, diagnostic procedures, psychotherapeutic and psychoeducational approaches, and pharmacological interventions from RCT and naturalistic studies in youth. Evidence from studies including youths with LPE/CU traits, ED and aggression are also reviewed, as response moderators. EXPERT OPINION Due to its clinical heterogeneity, relevant subtypes of CD should be carefully characterized to gain reliable information on prognosis and treatments. Thus, disentangling this broad category in subtypes is crucial as a first step in diagnosis. Psychosocial interventions are the first option, possibly improving LPE/CU traits and ED, especially if implemented early during development. Instead, limited information, based on low-quality studies, supports pharmacological options. Second-generation antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and stimulants are first-line medications, according to different target symptoms, such as aggression and emotional reactivity. Developmental pathways including ADHD suggest a specific role of psychostimulants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Masi
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
| | - Sara Carucci
- Department of Biomedical Science, Section of Neuroscience & Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Child & Adolescent Neuropsychiatric Unit, "A. Cao" Paediatric Hospital-ARNAS "G. Brotzu" Hospital Trust, Department of Paediatrics, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Pietro Muratori
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
| | - Carla Balia
- Department of Biomedical Science, Section of Neuroscience & Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Child & Adolescent Neuropsychiatric Unit, "A. Cao" Paediatric Hospital-ARNAS "G. Brotzu" Hospital Trust, Department of Paediatrics, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Gianluca Sesso
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
- Social and Affective Neuroscience Group, Molecular Mind Lab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy
| | - Annarita Milone
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
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16
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Cubillo A, Tkalcec A, Oldenhof H, Unternaehrer E, Raschle N, Kohls G, Nauta-Jansen L, Hervas A, Fernandez-Rivas A, Konrad K, Popma A, Freitag C, de Brito S, Fairchild G, Stadler C. Linking heart rate variability to psychological health and brain structure in adolescents with and without conduct disorder. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1101064. [PMID: 37441149 PMCID: PMC10333527 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1101064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Aims Heart rate variability (HRV) measures have been suggested in healthy individuals as a potential index of self-regulation skills, which include both cognitive and emotion regulation aspects. Studies in patients with a range of psychiatric disorders have however mostly focused on the potential association between abnormally low HRV at rest and specifically emotion regulation difficulties. Emotion regulation deficits have been reported in patients with Conduct Disorder (CD) however, the association between these emotion regulation deficits and HRV measures has yet to be fully understood. This study investigates (i) the specificity of the association between HRV and emotion regulation skills in adolescents with and without CD and (ii) the association between HRV and grey matter brain volumes in key areas of the central autonomic network which are involved in self-regulation processes, such as insula, lateral/medial prefrontal cortices or amygdala. Methods Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) measures of HRV were collected from adolescents aged between 9-18 years (693 CD (427F)/753 typically developing youth (TD) (500F)), as part of a European multi-site project (FemNAT-CD). The Inverse Efficiency Score, a speed-accuracy trade-off measure, was calculated to assess emotion and cognitive regulation abilities during an Emotional Go/NoGo task. The association between RSA and task performance was tested using multilevel regression models. T1-weighted structural MRI data were included for a subset of 577 participants (257 CD (125F); 320 TD (186F)). The CerebroMatic toolbox was used to create customised Tissue Probability Maps and DARTEL templates, and CAT12 to segment brain images, followed by a 2 × 2 (sex × group) full factorial ANOVA with RSA as regressor of interest. Results There were no significant associations between RSA and task performance, neither during emotion regulation nor during cognitive regulation trials. RSA was however positively correlated with regional grey matter volume in the left insula (pFWE = 0.011) across all subjects. Conclusion RSA was related to increased grey matter volume in the left insula across all subjects. Our results thus suggest that low RSA at rest might be a contributing or predisposing factor for potential self-regulation difficulties. Given the insula's role in both emotional and cognitive regulation processes, these brain structural differences might impact either of those.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cubillo
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (research section), University Psychiatric Clinics, Basel, Switzerland
- Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Antonia Tkalcec
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (research section), University Psychiatric Clinics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Helena Oldenhof
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Eva Unternaehrer
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (research section), University Psychiatric Clinics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nora Raschle
- Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gregor Kohls
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Lucres Nauta-Jansen
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Amaia Hervas
- Hospital Universitario Mutua Terrassa, IGAIN, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aranzazu Fernandez-Rivas
- Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Basurto University Hospital, University of the Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Kerstin Konrad
- RWTH Aachen University & JARA-Brain Institute, Aachen, Germany
| | - Arne Popma
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Christine Freitag
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | - Graeme Fairchild
- Developmental Psychopathology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Christina Stadler
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (research section), University Psychiatric Clinics, Basel, Switzerland
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17
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Karwatowska L, Frach L, Schoeler T, Tielbeek JJ, Murray J, de Geus E, Viding E, Pingault JB. Resting heart rate and antisocial behaviour: a Mendelian randomisation study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10212. [PMID: 37353630 PMCID: PMC10290077 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37123-y] [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: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Observational studies frequently report phenotypic associations between low resting heart rate (RHR) and higher levels of antisocial behaviour (ASB), although it remains unclear whether this relationship reflects causality. To triangulate evidence, we conducted two-sample univariable Mendelian randomisation (MR), multivariable MR and linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) analyses. Genetic data were accessed from published genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for RHR (n = 458,835) and ASB (n = 85,359) for the univariable analyses, along with a third GWAS for heart rate variability (HRV; n = 53,174) for all other analyses. Genome-wide significant (p < 5 × 10-8) single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with RHR (n = 278) were selected as instrumental variables and the outcome was a composite measure of ASB. No causal association was observed between RHR and ASB (BIVW = - 0.0004, p = 0.841). The multivariable MR analyses including RHR and HRV also suggested no causal associations (BIVW = 0.016, p = 0.914) and no genetic correlations between the heart rate measures and ASB were observed using LDSC (rg = 0.057, p = 0.169). Sensitivity analyses suggested that our results are not likely to be affected by heterogeneity, pleiotropic effects, or reverse causation. These findings suggest that individual differences in autonomic nervous system functioning indexed by RHR are not likely to directly contribute to the development of ASB. Therefore, previously observed associations between RHR and ASB may arise from confounding, reverse causation, and/or additional study characteristics. Further causally informative longitudinal research is required to confirm our findings, and caution should be applied when using measures of RHR in interventions targeting ASB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Karwatowska
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
| | - Leonard Frach
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tabea Schoeler
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jorim J Tielbeek
- Department of Complex Trait Genomics, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joseph Murray
- Postgraduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
- Human Development and Violence Research Centre, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Eco de Geus
- Department of Biological Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Essi Viding
- Developmental Risk & Resilience Unit, Division of Psychology & Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jean-Baptiste Pingault
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
- Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, UK
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18
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Fanti KA, Mavrommatis I, Colins O, Andershed H. Fearlessness as an Underlying Mechanism Leading to Conduct Problems: Testing the Intermediate Effects of Parenting, Anxiety, and callous-unemotional Traits. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2023:10.1007/s10802-023-01076-7. [PMID: 37191864 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-023-01076-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates whether the longitudinal association between fearlessness and conduct problems (CP) is mediated by warm and harsh parenting, parent-child conflict, anxiety, and callous-unemotional (CU) traits. The constructs under investigation were assessed at five different time points, spanning a period of eight years. A multi-informant approach was followed, collecting data from parents and teachers (N = 2,121; 47% girls). The structural equation model pointed to both direct and indirect pathways between fearlessness and CP. Specifically, findings suggested that Time 1 fearlessness (age 3-5 years) increased the likelihood of Time 2 (age 4-6 years) harsh parenting and Time 3 (age 5-7 years) parent-child conflict. Further, fearlessness was positively associated with Time 4 (age 8-10) callous-unemotional traits and Time 5 (age 11-13) CP. The total indirect effect from fearlessness to CP through these variables was significant, although the specific indirect effect from fearlessness to CU traits to CP accounted for most of the variance. Warm parenting and anxiety did not mediate the association between fearlessness and CP. In addition to the identified pathways connecting fearlessness to CP, findings pointed to the existence of multiple developmental pathways to future CP, as well as gender differences in longitudinal associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kostas A Fanti
- Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia, CY, 1678, Cyprus.
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19
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Northam JC, Dar H, Hawes DJ, Barnes K, McNair NA, Fisher CA, Dadds MR. More than a feeling? An expanded investigation of emotional responsiveness in young children with conduct problems and callous-unemotional traits. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:494-508. [PMID: 35068401 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421001590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Children with conduct problems and high callous-unemotional (CP+CU) traits are characterized by dampened emotional responding, limiting their ability for affective empathy and impacting the development of prosocial behaviors. However, research documenting this dampening in young children is sparse and findings vary, with attachment-related stimuli hypothesized to ameliorate deficits in emotional responding. Here we test emotional responsiveness across various emotion-eliciting stimuli using multiple measures of emotional responsiveness (behavioral, physiological, self-reported) and attention, in young children aged 2-8 years (M age = 5.37), with CP+CU traits (CP+CU; n = 36), CPs and low CU traits (CP-CU; n = 82) and a community control sample (CC; n = 27). We found no evidence that attachment-related stimulus ameliorated deficits in emotional responding. Rather, at a group level we found a consistent pattern of reduced responding across all independent measures of responsiveness for children with CP+CU compared to the CC group. Few differences were found between CP+CU and CP-CU groups. When independent measures were standardized and included in a regression model predicting to CU trait score, higher CU traits were associated with reduced emotional responding, demonstrating the importance of multimodal measurement of emotional responsiveness when investigating the impact of CU traits in young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaimie C Northam
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Hayim Dar
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - David J Hawes
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kirsten Barnes
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicolas A McNair
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Carri A Fisher
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark R Dadds
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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20
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Blankenstein NE, de Rooij M, van Ginkel J, Wilderjans TF, de Ruigh EL, Oldenhof HC, Zijlmans J, Jambroes T, Platje E, de Vries-Bouw M, Branje S, Meeus WHJ, Vermeiren RRJM, Popma A, Jansen LMC. Neurobiological correlates of antisociality across adolescence and young adulthood: a multi-sample, multi-method study. Psychol Med 2023; 53:1834-1849. [PMID: 34446120 PMCID: PMC10106306 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721003457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antisociality across adolescence and young adulthood puts individuals at high risk of developing a variety of problems. Prior research has linked antisociality to autonomic nervous system and endocrinological functioning. However, there is large heterogeneity in antisocial behaviors, and these neurobiological measures are rarely studied conjointly, limited to small specific studies with narrow age ranges, and yield mixed findings due to the type of behavior examined. METHODS We harmonized data from 1489 participants (9-27 years, 67% male), from six heterogeneous samples. In the resulting dataset, we tested relations between distinct dimensions of antisociality and heart rate, pre-ejection period (PEP), respiratory sinus arrhythmia, respiration rate, skin conductance levels, testosterone, basal cortisol, and the cortisol awakening response (CAR), and test the role of age throughout adolescence and young adulthood. RESULTS Three dimensions of antisociality were uncovered: 'callous-unemotional (CU)/manipulative traits', 'intentional aggression/conduct', and 'reactivity/impulsivity/irritability'. Shorter PEPs and higher testosterone were related to CU/manipulative traits, and a higher CAR is related to both CU/manipulative traits and intentional aggression/conduct. These effects were stable across age. CONCLUSIONS Across a heterogeneous sample and consistent across development, the CAR may be a valuable measure to link to CU/manipulative traits and intentional aggression, while sympathetic arousal and testosterone are additionally valuable to understand CU/manipulative traits. Together, these findings deepen our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying different components of antisociality. Finally, we illustrate the potential of using current statistical techniques for combining multiple datasets to draw robust conclusions about biobehavioral associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeltje E. Blankenstein
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Mark de Rooij
- Unit of Methodology and Statistics, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Joost van Ginkel
- Unit of Methodology and Statistics, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Tom F. Wilderjans
- Unit of Methodology and Statistics, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Research Group of Quantitative Psychology and Individual Differences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Esther L. de Ruigh
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Helena C. Oldenhof
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Josjan Zijlmans
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tijs Jambroes
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Susan Branje
- Department of Youth and Family, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Wim H. J. Meeus
- Department of Youth and Family, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Robert R. J. M. Vermeiren
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Curium-Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Arne Popma
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lucres M. C. Jansen
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychosocial Care, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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21
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Craig SG, Goulter N, Andrade BF, McMahon RJ. Developmental Precursors of Primary and Secondary Callous-Unemotional Traits in Youth. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2023; 54:582-596. [PMID: 34687405 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-021-01271-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
There is growing evidence of diverse etiological pathways to the development of callous-unemotional (CU) traits, known as primary and secondary CU variants. The purpose of the present study was to extend previous cross-sectional research and examine theoretical predictors of CU variants prospectively from childhood to adolescence. Participants included high-risk control and normative samples from the Fast Track project (N = 754, male = 58%, Black = 46%). Using structural equation modelling, primary CU traits, identified in early adolescence, were associated with higher levels of childhood emotion regulation and lower levels of prosocial behavior. Secondary CU traits were associated with lower levels of childhood emotion regulation and low parental warmth, but not prosocial behaviour. Neither CU variant was related to harsh parenting. Parental warmth moderated emotion regulation and prosocial behavior on secondary CU traits. Results were not moderated by sex. A greater understanding of theoretical developmental precursors of CU variants may better guide intervention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie G Craig
- LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Natalie Goulter
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Brendan F Andrade
- McCain Centre for Child Youth and Family Mental Health, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Robert J McMahon
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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22
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Goulter N, Balanji S, Davis BA, James T, McIntyre CL, Smith E, Thornton EM, Craig SG, Moretti MM. Psychometric Evaluation of the Affect Regulation Checklist: Clinical and Community Samples, Parent-Reports and Youth Self-Reports. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2023; 33:344-360. [PMID: 35699159 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Affect Regulation Checklist (ARC) was designed to capture affect dysregulation, suppression, and reflection. Importantly, affect dysregulation has been established as a transdiagnostic mechanism underpinning many forms of psychopathology. We tested the ARC psychometric properties across clinical and community samples and through both parent-report and youth self-report information. Clinical sample: Participants included parents (n = 814; Mage = 43.86) and their child (n = 608; Mage = 13.98). Community sample: Participants included independent samples of parents (n = 578; Mage = 45.12) and youth (n = 809; Mage = 15.67). Exploratory structural equation modeling supported a three-factor structure across samples and informants. Dysregulation was positively associated with all forms of psychopathology. In general, suppression was positively associated with many forms of psychopathology, and reflection was negatively associated with externalizing problems and positively associated with internalizing problems.
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23
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Lindhiem O, Burke JD, Feldman JA, Kolko DJ, Pilkonis PA. Deficits in Parent Knowledge of Behavior Management Skills is Strongly Associated with CD Symptoms but Not ODD Symptoms. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 2023; 45:18-26. [PMID: 36909951 PMCID: PMC10004159 DOI: 10.1007/s10862-022-09989-1] [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: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
We conducted secondary analyses of existing data to examine the association between parent scores on the Knowledge of Effective Parenting Test (KEPT) and child symptoms of Conduct Disorder (CD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Parent knowledge of behavior management skills and child behavior symptoms were assessed in a nationally representative sample of parents/guardians (N = 1,570) of children aged 5-12 from all 50 states. Results showed consistent and robust correlations between parent knowledge of behavior management skills and CD symptoms but not ODD symptoms. These findings suggest that parent knowledge of behavior management may be a greater risk factor for CD than ODD, with implications for taxonomy and understanding the etiology of these two disorders. We also discuss the implications of these findings for the prevention and treatment of these two disorders which are often grouped together in treatment trials.
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24
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Fanti KA, Konikkou K, Georgiou G, Petridou M, Demetriou C, Soursou G, Kyranides MN. Physiological reactivity to fear moderates the relation between parenting distress with conduct and prosocial behaviors. Child Dev 2023; 94:363-379. [PMID: 36217890 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated whether the associations between parental distress with conduct problems (CPs) and prosocial behaviors (PBs) are moderated by children's skin conductance (SC) and heart rate (HR) reactivity to fear. Participants were 147 Greek-Cypriot children (Mage = 7.30, 44.2% girls), selected from a larger screening sample (data were collected from 2015 to 2018). Longitudinal associations suggested that children with high HR reactivity to fear were more likely to display PB, whereas those with low SC reactivity were more likely to engage in CP behaviors. In contrast, interaction effects suggested that children high on SC reactivity to fear were more susceptible to the effects of parental distress, as indicated by their higher vulnerability to engage in CP (cross-sectionally) behaviors and their lower scores on PB (cross-sectionally and longitudinally).
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25
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Serum oxytocin levels in adolescents with conduct disorder associated with callous-unemotional traits. MIDDLE EAST CURRENT PSYCHIATRY 2022. [DOI: 10.1186/s43045-022-00218-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Conduct disorder (CD) is a serious and common psychiatric disorder affecting children and adolescents. “Callous-unemotional traits” is a new specifier added to the diagnosis of CD in the DSM-5. The new specifier is thought to be associated with more severity and higher genetic load. Oxytocin is known to be related to interpersonal sympathy and social affection, and so its deficiency might be related to unemotionality. This work aims to explore the levels of serum oxytocin in adolescents with CD associated with callous-unemotional (CU) traits as compared to healthy control subjects. Twenty patients aged 12–18 years and 20 controls of the same age range were recruited. An Arabic-translated and validated version of Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for kids (MINI-kid) was used to confirm the diagnosis. The Youth Psychopathic Inventory-short version (YPI-short version) and the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU), both parent and self-reports, were all translated into Arabic and validated by the authors and used to evaluate the sample. Evaluation of serum oxytocin level using ELISA technique was done.
Results
After statistical adjustment for differences in socioeconomic status, an adolescent with CD associated with CU traits showed low levels of serum oxytocin level as compared with the control group. Serum oxytocin levels were negatively correlated in a statistically significant degree with the unemotional, the callousness, and the uncaring subscores of ICU—self-report.
Conclusions
Low levels of serum oxytocin might play a potential role as a biomarker for CU traits and CD severity in adolescents with CD.
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26
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Portnoy J, McGouldrick SH, Raine A, Zemel BS, Tucker KL, Liu J. Lower dietary intake of magnesium is associated with more callous-unemotional traits in children. Nutr Neurosci 2022; 25:2314-2323. [PMID: 34474662 PMCID: PMC8891389 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2021.1963064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although researchers increasingly recognize the role of nutrition in mental health, little research has examined specific micronutrient intake in relation to antisocial behavior and callous-unemotional (CU) traits in children. Vitamin B6 and magnesium are involved in neurochemical processes implicated in modulating antisocial behavior and CU traits. The current study examined dietary intakes of magnesium and vitamin B6 in relation to antisocial behavior and CU traits. METHOD : We enrolled 11-12 year old children (n = 446, mean age = 11.9 years) participating in the Healthy Brains and Behavior Study. Magnesium and vitamin B6 dietary intake were assessed with three 24-hour dietary recall interviews in children. CU traits and antisocial behavior were assessed by caregiver-reported questionnaires. We controlled for age, sex, race, total energy intake, body mass index, social adversity, ADHD or learning disability diagnosis, and internalizing behavior in all regression analyses. RESULTS Children with lower magnesium intake had higher levels of CU traits, controlling for covariates (β = -0.18, B = -0.0066, SE = 0.0027, p < 0.05). Vitamin B6 intake was not significantly associated with CU traits (β = 0.061, B = 0.19, SE = 0.20, p > 0.05). Neither magnesium (β = 0.014, B = 0.0020, SE = 0.0093, p > 0.05) nor vitamin B6 (β = 0.025, B = 0.33, SE = 0.70, p > 0.05) were significantly associated with antisocial behavior. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that low dietary intake of magnesium may play a role in the etiology of CU traits but not general antisocial behavior. More studies are needed to determine if magnesium supplementation or diets higher in magnesium could improve CU traits in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill Portnoy
- School of Criminology and Justice Studies, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA
| | | | - Adrian Raine
- Departments of Criminology, Psychology, and Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Babette S. Zemel
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Katherine L. Tucker
- Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA
| | - Jianghong Liu
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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27
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Fanti KA, Lordos A. Parental Antisocial and Psychopathic Traits Influence Adolescent Psychopathology. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OFFENDER THERAPY AND COMPARATIVE CRIMINOLOGY 2022; 66:1550-1574. [PMID: 33949245 DOI: 10.1177/0306624x211013517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The role of parental antisocial behavior in the development of adolescent psychopathology is well established in the literature. However, less is known about the role of parental psychopathic traits in offspring psychopathology. Adolescents (N = 210; boys = 107) and their parents participated in a study measuring parental antisocial behavior, psychopathic traits (i.e., callous-unemotional traits, impulsive-irresponsibility, and grandiosity), and adolescent psychopathology, including depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and conduct disorder (CD). Results from the structural equation model suggested that maternal antisocial acts, but not anger propensity, positively predicted adolescent CD, ODD, and depressive symptoms. Paternal anger propensity mainly predicted internalizing problems, whereas paternal impulsive-irresponsibility predicted anxiety and ADHD symptoms. In addition, findings pointed to several indirect effects from maternal and paternal psychopathic traits to adolescent psychopathology, with the strongest one being between maternal impulsive-irresponsibility to maternal antisocial acts to adolescent ODD. The findings suggest that parental antisocial behaviors and psychopathic traits, and especially impulsive-irresponsibility, should be considered in interventions aiming to reduce adolescent psychopathology.
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28
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Ezpeleta L, Penelo E, Navarro JB, de la Osa N, Trepat E. Co-developmental Trajectories of Defiant/Headstrong, Irritability, and Prosocial Emotions from Preschool Age to Early Adolescence. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2022; 53:908-918. [PMID: 33939109 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-021-01180-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This study ascertains how the proposed subtypes and specifiers of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) based on irritability and prosocial emotions co-develop and describes the clinical characteristics of the resultant classes. A sample of 488 community children was followed up from ages 3 to 12 years and assessed with categorical and dimensional measures answered by parents and teachers. Latent class growth analysis for three parallel processes [defiant/headstrong, irritability, and limited prosocial emotions (LPE)] identified a 4-class model with adequate entropy (.912) and posterior probabilities of class membership (≥ .921). Class 1 (n = 38, 7.9%) was made up of children with defiant/headstrong with chronic irritability and LPE. Class 2 (n = 128, 26.3%) was comprised of children with defiant/headstrong with chronic irritability and typical prosocial emotions. Class 3 (n = 101, 20.7%) clustered children with LPE without defiant/headstrong and without irritability. Class 4 (n = 220, 45.1%) included children with the lowest scores in all the processes. The classes were distinguishable and showed different clinical characteristics through development. These findings support the validity of ICD-11 ODD subtypes based on chronic irritability and may help to guide clinicians' decision-making regarding treating oppositionality in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes Ezpeleta
- Unitat d'Epidemiologia i de Diagnòstic en Psicopatologia del Desenvolupament, Barcelona, Spain.
- Departament de Psicologia Clínica i de la Salut. Edifici B, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Eva Penelo
- Unitat d'Epidemiologia i de Diagnòstic en Psicopatologia del Desenvolupament, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Psicobiologia i de Metodologia de les Ciències del Comportament, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J Blas Navarro
- Unitat d'Epidemiologia i de Diagnòstic en Psicopatologia del Desenvolupament, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Psicobiologia i de Metodologia de les Ciències del Comportament, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Núria de la Osa
- Unitat d'Epidemiologia i de Diagnòstic en Psicopatologia del Desenvolupament, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Psicologia Clínica i de la Salut. Edifici B, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Trepat
- Unitat d'Epidemiologia i de Diagnòstic en Psicopatologia del Desenvolupament, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Psicologia Clínica i de la Salut. Edifici B, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
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29
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Age patterns in psychopathic traits from age 9 to age 20: Testing unique associations with conduct disorder symptoms. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-020-01150-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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30
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Demetriou CA, Fanti KA. Are Children High on Callous-Unemotional Traits Emotionally Blind? Testing Eye-Gaze Differences. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2022; 53:623-634. [PMID: 33738689 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-021-01152-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Callous-unemotional traits have been associated with difficulties in identifying and responding to others' emotions. To inform this line of research, the current study investigated the eye gaze behavior of children (n = 59; mean-age = 6.35) with varying levels of callous-unemotional (CU) traits with the use of eye-tracker methodology, as well as their ability to accurately identify emotional expressions. Participating children were selected from a large screening sample (N = 1283). Main findings supported a reduced fixation rate to the eye-region and an increased fixation in the mouth area of emotional faces among children high on callous-unemotional traits (HCU), irrespective of emotion expressed (i.e., fear, sad, angry and happy) and age of individuals portrayed in images (adult versus child faces). Further, findings suggested that HCU children were less likely to accurately identify facial emotional expressions, which might be due to the identified attentional neglect to the eye region of emotional faces. Current findings support the importance of early prevention and intervention programs that can enhance the emotional development and social adjustment of HCU children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chara A Demetriou
- Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Kostas A Fanti
- Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678, Nicosia, Cyprus.
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31
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Ehlers CL, Schuckit MA, Hesselbrock V, Gilder DA, Wills D, Bucholz K. The clinical course of antisocial behaviors in men and women of three racial groups. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 151:319-327. [PMID: 35533515 PMCID: PMC9744109 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.04.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To describe the clinical course and symptom profile of DSM-IV Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) and the syndrome of Adult Antisocial Behavior Syndrome (AABS) and determine if they differ based on sex and race. METHODS Using questions from a validated semi-structured interview, data were gathered from 2 independent family studies in: 1) American Indians (AI), and 2) European Americans (EA), African Americans (AA) (total n = 7171) who reported antisocial symptoms. RESULTS Within these two samples 1148 (16%) individuals met ASPD criteria, 1932 (27%) met adult ASPD but not childhood conduct disorder (CD) (i.e., AABS). The clinical course of the antisocial behaviors studied did not differ based on race or sex; however, individual symptom counts, and age of onsets of those symptoms, were significantly different across the groups. Women reported fewer symptoms and at an older age (less fights, school suspensions/expulsions, arrests or jail time), than men but were more likely to run away from home. Those with ASPD vs. AABS had more symptoms overall including not experiencing remorse. AA and AI participants and those with ASPD, had more symptoms, and were more likely to be suspended/expelled from school and arrested at a younger age than EA. CONCLUSION In these select samples, the order and sequence of antisocial behaviors did not differ by race, AASB vs. ASPD, or sex; however individual symptom endorsement did, with men (vs. women), those with ASPD (vs. AABS), AI and AA (vs. EA) reporting more suspensions/expulsions from school and arrests. This suggests further study of the possible role of race and sex in the consequences associated with antisocial syndromes is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy L. Ehlers
- Department of Neurosciences, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | | | - Victor Hesselbrock
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Farmington, CT
| | - David A. Gilder
- Department of Neurosciences, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Derek Wills
- Department of Neurosciences, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA
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32
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Gao Y, Jiang Y, Ming Q, Zhang J, Ma R, Wu Q, Dong D, Sun X, He J, Cao W, Yuan S, Yao S. Neuroanatomical changes associated with conduct disorder in boys: influence of childhood maltreatment. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022; 31:601-613. [PMID: 33398650 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-020-01697-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Childhood maltreatment (CM) poses a serious risk to the physical, emotional and psychological well-being of children, and can advance the development of maladaptive behaviors, including conduct disorder (CD). CD involves repetitive, persistent violations of others' basic rights and societal norms. Little is known about whether and how CM influences the neural mechanisms underlying CD, and CD-characteristic neuroanatomical changes have not yet been defined in a structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) study. Here, we used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and surface-based morphometry (SBM) to investigate the influence of the CD diagnosis and CM on the brain in 96 boys diagnosed with CD (62 with CM) and 86 typically developing (TD) boys (46 with CM). The participants were 12-17 years of age. Compared to the CM- CD group, the CM+ CD group had structural gray matter (GM) alterations in the fronto-limbic regions, including the left amygdala, right posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), right putamen, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). We also found boys with CD exhibited increased GM volume in bilateral dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), as well as decreased GM volume and decreased gyrification in the left superior temporal gyrus (STG) relative to TD boys. Regional GM volume correlated with aggression and conduct problem severity in the CD group, suggesting that the GM changes may contribute to increased aggression and conduct problems in boys with CD who have suffered CM. In conclusion, these results demonstrate previously unreported CM-associated distinct brain structural changes among CD-diagnosed boys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidian Gao
- Medical Psychological Center of Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center on Psychiatry and Psychology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yali Jiang
- Medical Psychological Center of Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center on Psychiatry and Psychology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qingsen Ming
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jibiao Zhang
- Medical Psychological Center of Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center on Psychiatry and Psychology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Ren Ma
- Medical Psychological Center of Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center on Psychiatry and Psychology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- Medical Psychological Center of Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center on Psychiatry and Psychology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Daifeng Dong
- Medical Psychological Center of Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center on Psychiatry and Psychology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Sun
- Medical Psychological Center of Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center on Psychiatry and Psychology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jiayue He
- Medical Psychological Center of Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center on Psychiatry and Psychology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Wanyi Cao
- Medical Psychological Center of Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,National Clinical Research Center on Psychiatry and Psychology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shuwen Yuan
- Department of Radiology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shuqiao Yao
- Medical Psychological Center of Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. .,National Clinical Research Center on Psychiatry and Psychology, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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33
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Aggensteiner PM, Holz NE, Böttinger BW, Baumeister S, Hohmann S, Werhahn JE, Naaijen J, Ilbegi S, Glennon JC, Hoekstra PJ, Dietrich A, Deters RK, Saam MC, Schulze UME, Lythgoe DJ, Sethi A, Craig MC, Mastroianni M, Sagar-Ouriaghli I, Santosh PJ, Rosa M, Bargallo N, Castro-Fornieles J, Arango C, Penzol MJ, Vidal J, Franke B, Zwiers MP, Buitelaar JK, Walitza S, Banaschewski T, Brandeis D. The effects of callous-unemotional traits and aggression subtypes on amygdala activity in response to negative faces. Psychol Med 2022; 52:476-484. [PMID: 32624021 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291720002111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brain imaging studies have shown altered amygdala activity during emotion processing in children and adolescents with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD) compared to typically developing children and adolescents (TD). Here we aimed to assess whether aggression-related subtypes (reactive and proactive aggression) and callous-unemotional (CU) traits predicted variation in amygdala activity and skin conductance (SC) response during emotion processing. METHODS We included 177 participants (n = 108 cases with disruptive behaviour and/or ODD/CD and n = 69 TD), aged 8-18 years, across nine sites in Europe, as part of the EU Aggressotype and MATRICS projects. All participants performed an emotional face-matching functional magnetic resonance imaging task. RESULTS Differences between cases and TD in affective processing, as well as specificity of activation patterns for aggression subtypes and CU traits, were assessed. Simultaneous SC recordings were acquired in a subsample (n = 63). Cases compared to TDs showed higher amygdala activity in response to negative faces (fearful and angry) v. shapes. Subtyping cases according to aggression-related subtypes did not significantly influence on amygdala activity; while stratification based on CU traits was more sensitive and revealed decreased amygdala activity in the high CU group. SC responses were significantly lower in cases and negatively correlated with CU traits, reactive and proactive aggression. CONCLUSIONS Our results showed differences in amygdala activity and SC responses to emotional faces between cases with ODD/CD and TD, while CU traits moderate both central (amygdala) and peripheral (SC) responses. Our insights regarding subtypes and trait-specific aggression could be used for improved diagnostics and personalized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal-M Aggensteiner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Nathalie E Holz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Boris W Böttinger
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sarah Baumeister
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sarah Hohmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Julia E Werhahn
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jilly Naaijen
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Radboud University, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Shahrzad Ilbegi
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jeffrey C Glennon
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Pieter J Hoekstra
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea Dietrich
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Renee Kleine Deters
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Melanie C Saam
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Ulm, Germany
| | - Ulrike M E Schulze
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Ulm, Germany
| | - David J Lythgoe
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Arjun Sethi
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Michael C Craig
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Mathilde Mastroianni
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ilyas Sagar-Ouriaghli
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Paramala J Santosh
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Mireia Rosa
- Clinic Image Diagnostic Center (CDIC), Hospital Clinic of Barcelona; Magnetic Resonance Image Core Facility, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nuria Bargallo
- Clinic Image Diagnostic Center (CDIC), Hospital Clinic of Barcelona; Magnetic Resonance Image Core Facility, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josefina Castro-Fornieles
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology Department, 2017SGR881, Institute Clinic of Neurosciences, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, CIBERSAM, IDIBAPS, Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Celso Arango
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, IiSGM, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria J Penzol
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, IiSGM, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge Vidal
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, IiSGM, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Barbara Franke
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel P Zwiers
- Radboud University, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan K Buitelaar
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Susanne Walitza
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Daniel Brandeis
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Extending the Construct of Psychopathy to Childhood: Testing Associations with Heart Rate, Skin Conductance, and Startle Reactivity. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10862-021-09946-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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Psychopathy, the Four Facet Model, and Fearlessness: Testing Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous System Reactivity in a Late Adolescent Sample. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10862-021-09948-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Centifanti LCM, Gillespie SM, Thomson ND. Skin Conductance Responses to a Discrete Threat in Virtual Reality: Associations with Psychopathy and Anxiety. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 2022; 44:39-50. [PMID: 35221465 PMCID: PMC8813790 DOI: 10.1007/s10862-021-09943-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
People with high levels of psychopathic traits are often described as fearless and lacking in emotional depth, particularly when evaluating threats in their environments. Skin conductance responsivity (SCR) to negative emotional stimuli represents a robust autonomic correlate of conduct problem behavior in children (Fanti et al., in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 100, 98-107, 2019). However, studies that have examined threat-related processing in youth with conduct problems have tended to use a variety of negative stimuli that might induce various and unspecific negative emotions. Few studies have taken in to account the moderating effects of anxiety on the relationship of distinct psychopathic traits (e.g., narcissism, callousness, impulsivity) with SCR to a fear inducing stimulus. In this study, we examined SCR to a virtual reality rollercoaster drop - that is, a discrete fear inducing event - in a sample of 75 youths (61 males; M = 14 years, SD = 1.4) enrolled in a non-mainstream school. The rollercoaster drop was used to more clearly examine an event-related response to a discrete threat, rather than examining SCR throughout the rollercoaster ride. We used the teacher-reported Antisocial Process Screening Device (Frick & Hare, in Antisocial process screening device: APSD. Toronto: Multi-Health Systems, 2001) to examine the relations of distinct psychopathic traits with SCR and self-reported anxiety. Lower anxiety was associated with higher callousness, but only in youths with low SCR to discrete threat. These findings suggest that fear and anxiety show complex and interactive relations with distinct psychopathic traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luna C M Centifanti
- Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZA UK
| | - Steven M Gillespie
- Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZA UK
| | - Nicholas D Thomson
- Departments of Surgery and Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA
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Sousa R, Ribeiro da Silva D, Petrocchi N, Gilbert P, Rijo D. At the heart of change: Differences in young offenders' HRV patterns after the delivery of the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP program. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1032011. [PMID: 36704737 PMCID: PMC9872126 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1032011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Literature has pointed the need for intervention programs specifically tailored to target the treatment needs of young offenders, as well as the need to test the efficacy of such programs through physiological indexes of emotion regulation (e.g., heart rate variability; HRV), complementing self-reports typically used as outcome measures. The PSYCHOPATHY.COMP is a 20-session individual intervention program based on Compassion Focused Therapy aiming to reduce psychopathic traits and disruptive behavior among young offenders through the development of a compassionate motivation, while stimulating the soothing system as a strategy to improve emotion regulation. Previous research with young offenders has shown decreases in vagally mediated HRV (vmHRV) when the soothing system is activated. This physiological pattern seems to mirror threat-like responses that contrast with relaxed states. METHODS To test the efficacy of the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP, a clinical trial was implemented encompassing a treatment (n = 56) and a control group (n = 53). Treatment participants attended the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP, while controls received the Treatment As Usual (TAU) delivered in Portuguese juvenile detention facilities. HRV data was collected throughout a standardized procedure (encompassing resting, reactivity and recovery phases) specifically designed to trigger the soothing system. Participants were assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment and 6-months follow-up. RESULTS Although treatment participants continued to process the soothing system as unpleasant (with decreased vmHRV), they seem to become able to adaptively recover from the stimuli without avoiding it or resorting to maladaptive coping strategies. The physiological pattern was in line with participants' decreases in difficulties in emotion regulation across the assessment periods. In contrast, controls seemed to have actively employed coping strategies associated with increases in vmHRV not only when the soothing system was triggered, but also when recovering from the stimuli. Congruently, for controls, increases in difficulties in emotion regulation were found, with increases in the lack of emotional clarity across the assessment periods. DISCUSSION Findings offer new evidence for the efficacy of the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP program in improving emotion regulation in young offenders, assessed through both self-report and physiological measures. Additionally, findings support the assessment of the autonomic balance as a treatment efficacy index in future research, targeting the rehabilitation of these youth. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT03971682.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rúben Sousa
- Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Diana Ribeiro da Silva
- Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Nicola Petrocchi
- Department of Economics and Social Sciences, John Cabot University, Rome, Italy
| | - Paul Gilbert
- School of Allied Health and Social Care, College of Health and Social Care, University of Derby, Derby, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Rijo
- Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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Hodgins S. Female Forensic Patients May Be an Atypical Sub-type of Females Presenting Aggressive and Antisocial Behavior. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:809901. [PMID: 35222118 PMCID: PMC8869424 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.809901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The percentage of forensic psychiatric patients who are female varies from 5 to 13% in Europe, rises to 18% in England and Wales, and sits at 15% in Canada. Similarly, many fewer women than men are incarcerated in correctional facilities. While these statistics supposedly reflect less antisocial and aggressive behavior (AAB) among females than males, not all findings support this supposition. Data from prospective longitudinal studies show that aggressive and antisocial behavior onsets in childhood, and in a small group of females it remains stable across the life-span. Unlike similar males, few of these females are convicted of crimes. This article begins with a review of descriptive studies of females sentenced by criminal courts to treatment in forensic psychiatric hospitals and moves on to present evidence showing that most female AAB does not lead to criminal prosecution. Next, studies of female AAB are reviewed, noting that it onsets in early childhood and, that in a small group remains stable across the life-span. Subsequent sections of the article focus on the two most common mental disorders presented by female forensic patients, schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder, highlighting what is known about the sub-groups of women with these disorders who present AAB. The article concludes with recommendations for earlier identification by psychiatric services of women presenting mental disorders and AAB, treatments to reduce both the symptoms of their mental disorders and their life-long AAB, and the research that is needed in order to improve the effectiveness of these treatments. The real possibilities of prevention of the development of AAB, and even perhaps aspects of the mental disorders that plague female forensic patients, are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheilagh Hodgins
- Département de Psychiatrie et Addictologie, Université de Montréal, et Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Haina Forensic Psychiatric Institute, Haina, Germany
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39
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Rosa-Justicia M, Saam MC, Flamarique I, Borràs R, Naaijen J, Dietrich A, Hoekstra PJ, Banaschewski T, Aggensteiner P, Craig MC, Sethi A, Santosh P, Sagar-Ouriaghli I, Arango C, Penzol MJ, Brandeis D, Werhahn JE, Glennon JC, Franke B, Zwiers MP, Buitelaar JK, Schulze UME, Castro-Fornieles J. Subgrouping children and adolescents with disruptive behaviors: symptom profiles and the role of callous-unemotional traits. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022; 31:51-66. [PMID: 33147348 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-020-01662-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Disruptive behavior during childhood and adolescence is heterogeneous and associated with several psychiatric disorders. The identification of more homogeneous subgroups might help identify different underlying pathways and tailor treatment strategies. Children and adolescents (aged 8-18) with disruptive behaviors (N = 121) and healthy controls (N = 100) were included in a European multi-center cognition and brain imaging study. They were assessed via a battery of standardized semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. K-means cluster-model analysis was carried out to identify subgroups within the group with disruptive behaviors, based on clinical symptom profiles, callous-unemotional (CU) traits, and proactive and reactive aggression. The resulting subgroups were then compared to healthy controls with regard to these clinical variables. Three distinct subgroups were found within the group with disruptive behaviors. The High CU Traits subgroup presented elevated scores for CU traits, proactive aggression and conduct disorder (CD) symptoms, as well as a higher proportion of comorbidities (CD + oppositional defiant disorder + attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The ADHD and Affective Dysregulation subgroup showed elevated scores for internalizing and ADHD symptoms, as well as a higher proportion of females. The Low Severity subgroup had relatively low levels of psychopathology and aggressive behavior compared to the other two subgroups. The High CU Traits subgroup displayed more antisocial behaviors than the Low Severity subgroup, but did not differ when compared to the ADHD and Affective Dysregulation subgroup. All three subgroups differed significantly from the healthy controls in all the variables analyzed. The present study extends previous findings on subgrouping children and adolescents with disruptive behaviors using a multidimensional approach and describes levels of anxiety, affective problems, ADHD, proactive aggression and CU traits as key factors that differentiate conclusively between subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mireia Rosa-Justicia
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Clinic Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Melanie C Saam
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Itziar Flamarique
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Clinic Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, 2017SGR881, CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roger Borràs
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Clinic Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jilly Naaijen
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea Dietrich
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Groningen Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Pieter J Hoekstra
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Groningen Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Pascal Aggensteiner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Michael C Craig
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK
| | - Arjun Sethi
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK
| | - Paramala Santosh
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK
| | - Ilyas Sagar-Ouriaghli
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, UK
| | - Celso Arango
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, IiSGM, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - María José Penzol
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, IiSGM, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Brandeis
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Groningen Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Julia E Werhahn
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jeffrey C Glennon
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara Franke
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel P Zwiers
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan K Buitelaar
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ulrike M E Schulze
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Josefina Castro-Fornieles
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Clinic Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, 2017SGR881, University of Barcelona, CIBERSAM, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain.
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40
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Lent MC, Murray‐Close D. Negative parenting and functions of relational aggression: The moderating roles of gender and physiological reactivity. Aggress Behav 2022; 48:17-29. [PMID: 34524694 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Dimensions of negative parenting, including permissive, authoritarian, and psychologically controlling parenting behaviors, are associated with children's engagement in relational aggression. However, some youth may be more strongly influenced by negative parenting than others, and effects may depend on whether aggression is proactive or reactive in function. In a community sample of 236 preadolescent children followed over 1 year, we examined whether children's skin conductance level reactivity (an index of "fight or flight" response) and gender moderated links between parents' self-reported negative parenting behaviors and increases in children's teacher-reported proactive and reactive relational aggression. Findings indicated that negative parenting predicted increases in proactive and reactive relational aggression, and, consistent with differential susceptibility theory, effects often emerged among highly reactive youth. Associations between negative parenting and proactive relational aggression emerged for boys but not girls. Results tentatively suggest that associations between parenting and aggression vary by the function of aggression, children's physiological reactivity to stress, and gender, although results should be interpreted with caution due to high levels of missing data. Implications for theory and intervention are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria C. Lent
- Department of Psychological Science University of Vermont Burlington Vermont USA
| | - Dianna Murray‐Close
- Department of Psychological Science University of Vermont Burlington Vermont USA
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41
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Dugré JR, Potvin S. Developmental multi-trajectory of irritability, anxiety, and hyperactivity as psychological markers of heterogeneity in childhood aggression. Psychol Med 2022; 52:241-250. [PMID: 32498723 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291720001877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A growing body of evidence suggests that child aggression is likely to be driven by multiple developmental pathways. However, little is known about the complex interactions between developmental trajectories of child psychological factors (such as anxiety, irritability, and hyperactivity/impulsivity dimensions) and their associations with aggression from childhood to adolescence. Therefore, the current study aimed to identify clusters of individuals with different developmental multi-trajectory, investigate their early risk factors, and describe their longitudinal associations with physical aggression. METHOD The sample comprised 4898 children derived from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. A parallel process growth mixture model was used to identify developmental multi-trajectory groups at 5, 9 and 15 years old. Associations between multi-trajectory group membership and physical aggression were examined with Generalized Estimating Equations models. Finally, multinomial logistic regression was performed to assess perinatal and early risk factors for multi-trajectory groups. RESULTS Multi-trajectory groups differed in the magnitude of risk for exhibiting physical aggression, compared to typically developing children. The risk for physical aggression was the most prominent in children who were hyperactive/impulsive and irritable [odds ratio (OR) 6.47; 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.44-7.70] and hyperactive/impulsive, irritable, and anxious (OR 7.68; CI 6.62-8.91). Furthermore, maternal cigarette and alcohol use during pregnancy and maternal depression consistently predicted multi-trajectory groups characterized by problematic levels of at least two co-occurrent psychological symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Identified combinations of developmental trajectories of psychological characteristics were associated with different magnitude in risk for exhibiting physical aggression. These results may highlight the heterogeneity of developmental trajectories associated with childhood aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jules R Dugré
- Centre de recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Stéphane Potvin
- Centre de recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
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42
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Thomson ND, Kevorkian S, Blair J, Farrell A, West SJ, Bjork JM. Psychophysiological underpinnings of proactive and reactive aggression in young men and women. Physiol Behav 2021; 242:113601. [PMID: 34547319 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Reactive aggression is posited to occur as a result of hypersensitivity to threat, whereas fearlessness may drive proactive aggression. This study aimed to test if physiological fear reactivity differentially relates to self-report reactive and proactive aggression using immersive virtual reality fear (VR) induction. We collected subjective fear ratings and sympathetic (SNS; skin conductance) and parasympathetic (PNS; respiratory sinus arrhythmia) nervous system reactivity during an interactive VR horror video. Results showed that for men and women, reactive aggression was related to heightened SNS fear reactivity. For men, proactive aggression was related to hypoarousal of the PNS and SNS (coinhibition) during fear induction, whereas augmented PNS was related to proactive aggression in women. These results support the fearlessness hypothesis for proactive aggression in men, but this does not replicate in women. By contrast, hypersensitivity to fear is related to reactive aggression for both men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas D Thomson
- Departments of Surgery and Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, United States; Injury and Violence Prevention Program, Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States.
| | - Salpi Kevorkian
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States; Injury and Violence Prevention Program, Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States
| | - James Blair
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, Nebraska, United States
| | - Albert Farrell
- Clark-Hill Institute for Positive Youth Development, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States
| | - Samuel J West
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States; Injury and Violence Prevention Program, Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States
| | - James M Bjork
- Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, Departments of Psychiatry, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 23298, United States
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43
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de Looff PC, Cornet LJM, de Kogel CH, Fernández-Castilla B, Embregts PJCM, Didden R, Nijman HLI. Heart Rate and Skin Conductance Associations with Physical Aggression, Psychopathy, Antisocial Personality Disorder and Conduct Disorder: An Updated Meta-Analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 132:553-582. [PMID: 34774587 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The associations between physiological measures (i.e., heart rate and skin conductance) of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity and severe antisocial spectrum behavior (AB) were meta-analyzed. We used an exhaustive partitioning of variables relevant to the ANS-AB association and investigated four highly relevant questions (on declining effect sizes, psychopathy subscales, moderators, and ANS measures) that are thought to be transformative for future research on AB. We investigated a broad spectrum of physiological measures (e.g., heart rate (variability), pre-ejection period) in relation to AB. The search date for the current meta-analysis was on January 1st, 2020, includes 101 studies and 769 effect sizes. Results indicate that effect sizes are heterogeneous and bidirectional. The careful partitioning of variables sheds light on the complex associations that were obscured in previous meta-analyses. Effects are largest for the most violent offenders and for psychopathy and are dependent on the experimental tasks used, parameters calculated, and analyses run. Understanding the specificity of physiological reactions may be expedient for differentiating between (and within) types of AB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter C de Looff
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Fivoor, Science and Treatment Innovation, Den Dolder, the Netherlands; Expertcentre "De Borg", Den Dolder, the Netherlands.
| | - Liza J M Cornet
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Catharina H de Kogel
- Research and Documentation Centre (WODC), Ministry of Justice and Security, The Hague, the Netherlands
| | | | - Petri J C M Embregts
- Department of Tranzo, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands
| | - Robert Didden
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Expertcentre "De Borg", Den Dolder, the Netherlands; Trajectum, Specialized and Forensic Care, Zwolle, the Netherlands
| | - Henk L I Nijman
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Fivoor, Science and Treatment Innovation, Den Dolder, the Netherlands; Expertcentre "De Borg", Den Dolder, the Netherlands
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44
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Georgiou G, Fanti KA. Physiological reactivity in children with high callous-unemotional and autistic traits: investigating unique and interactive effects. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021; 30:1709-1722. [PMID: 32944836 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-020-01643-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Empathy deficits are a hallmark sign of both callous-unemotional (CU) and autistic traits. Despite these similarities, prior work did not investigate how these traits relate to physiological reactivity (heart rate and skin conductance) in response to emotional or empathy-eliciting stimuli. Understanding the physiological mechanisms associated with emotional processing deficits among individuals with autistic or CU traits is a critical step for improving both assessment and interventions. The current study was designed to investigate the unique and interactive contributions of CU and autistic traits in predicting physiological reactivity. Heart rate (HR) and skin conductance (SC) activity in response to sad, fearful and happy emotional videos were collected form young children. Participants for the current study (n = 163; Mage = 7.30, SD= 1.42; 44.2% girls) were recruited from a larger community sample of 1652 children and were selected based on their levels of empathy. Regression analysis revealed that boys, but not girls, with high levels of CU traits exhibited low SC reactivity during sad and fearful stimuli. No significant associations were revealed for autistic traits. Finally, an interesting interaction effect suggested that CU traits were associated with stronger HR reactivity to fear stimuli only when autistic traits were low. The identified differences in physiological reactivity can inform etiological hypothesis by providing evidence for the underlying physiological mechanisms related to emotional processing among children high in CU traits but not in autistic traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgos Georgiou
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, European University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 22006, 1516, Nicosia, Cyprus.
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45
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Duindam HM, Williams DP, Asscher JJ, Hoeve M, Thayer JF, Creemers HE. Heart-wired to be cold? Exploring cardiac markers of callous-unemotional traits in incarcerated offenders. Int J Psychophysiol 2021; 170:168-177. [PMID: 34666106 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2021.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Elevated callous-unemotional (CU) traits have been repeatedly identified in a subgroup of offenders that displays severe antisocial behavior; establishing physiological markers may help improve early identification and treatment efforts. This study examines to what extent baseline-resting heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) can be used as markers of CU in incarcerated juvenile and adult offenders. CU traits were assessed using the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional traits. Results of the multiple hierarchical regression tests indicated that there was a small yet significant positive association between baseline HR and CU and negative association between HRV and CU in juvenile offenders with medium model effect sizes (R2 = 0.115 for HR-CU; R2 = 0.126 for HRV-CU). The cardiac markers were unrelated to CU in adult offenders. These findings are important because they demonstrate that impaired cardiac autonomic activity is related to CU traits in juveniles, suggesting that socioemotional processing difficulties should be considered in understanding these deficits. Future research should be conducted in large samples, under reactive and static conditions, while including cardiac covariates, to get more clarity on the interplay between biological systems and behavioral expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanne M Duindam
- Utrecht University, Clinical Child and Family Studies, Netherlands.
| | - DeWayne P Williams
- University of California-Irvine, Department of Psychological Sciences, United States
| | - Jessica J Asscher
- University of Amsterdam, Research Institute of Child Development and Education, Netherlands; Utrecht University, Clinical Child and Family Studies, Netherlands
| | - Machteld Hoeve
- University of Amsterdam, Research Institute of Child Development and Education, Netherlands
| | - Julian F Thayer
- University of California-Irvine, Department of Psychological Sciences, United States
| | - Hanneke E Creemers
- University of Amsterdam, Research Institute of Child Development and Education, Netherlands
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46
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Oskarsson S, Patrick CJ, Siponen R, Bertoldi BM, Evans B, Tuvblad C. The startle reflex as an indicator of psychopathic personality from childhood to adulthood: A systematic review. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2021; 220:103427. [PMID: 34628215 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2021.103427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The startle reflex has been suggested to operate as a psychophysiological marker of psychopathic personality, based on findings from studies using a range of different methodologies and participant samples. The present review aims at synthesizing existing evidence of the relationship between psychopathy and the startle reflex across task paradigms, psychopathic personality subtypes and subdimensions, participant samples (i.e., incarcerated/ clinical or non-offenders), and age groups using the triarchic model of psychopathy as a frame of reference. Systematic literature searches were conducted up until the 24th of March 2020 in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. A total of 2311 potential studies were identified, out of which 40 met relevancy and quality criteria. Results indicate that reduced aversive startle potentiation is associated with psychopathic personality in general, but clusters of traits relating to the triarchic model constructs of boldness and meanness in particular. Available evidence suggest that startle paradigms could be meaningful for differentiating individuals with and without psychopathic personality. Findings support suggestions of psychopathic personality as a multifaceted, rather than a unitary construct. Reduced aversive startle potentiation has also been found in relation to psychopathic features in child-aged samples but work of this kind is limited and more research is needed. Future studies should focus on greater consistency in task paradigms and analytic strategies to enhance the capacity to compare and integrate findings across studies.
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47
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Sebastian CL, Stafford J, McCrory EJ, Sethi A, De Brito SA, Lockwood PL, Viding E. Modulation of Amygdala Response by Cognitive Conflict in Adolescents with Conduct Problems and Varying Levels of CU Traits. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2021; 49:1043-1054. [PMID: 33728508 PMCID: PMC8222043 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-021-00787-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Adolescents with conduct problems and low callous-unemotional traits are characterised by high levels of reactive aggression. Prior studies suggest that they can have exaggerated neural and behavioural responses to negative emotional stimuli, accompanied by compromised affect regulation and atypical engagement of prefrontal areas during cognitive control. This pattern may in part explain their symptoms. Clarifying how neurocognitive responses to negative emotional stimuli can be modulated in this group has potential translational relevance. We present fMRI data from a cognitive conflict task in which the requirement to visually scan emotional (vs. calm) faces was held constant across low and high levels of cognitive conflict. Participants were 17 adolescent males with conduct problems and low levels of callous-unemotional traits (CP/LCU); 17 adolescents with conduct problems and high levels of callous-unemotional traits (CP/HCU, who typically show blunted reactivity to fear), and 18 typically developing controls (age range 10-16). Control participants showed typical attenuation of amygdala response to fear relative to calm faces under high (relative to low) conflict, replicating previous findings in a healthy adult sample. In contrast, children with CP/LCU showed a reduced (left amygdala) or reversed (right amygdala) attenuation effect under high cognitive conflict conditions. Children with CP/HCU did not differ from controls. Findings suggest atypical modulation of amygdala response as a function of task demands, and raise the possibility that those with CP/LCU are unable to implement typical regulation of amygdala response when cognitive task demands are high.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jean Stafford
- Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Eamon J McCrory
- Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Arjun Sethi
- Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | | | | | - Essi Viding
- Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
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48
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Squillaci M, Benoit V. Role of Callous and Unemotional (CU) Traits on the Development of Youth with Behavioral Disorders: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18094712. [PMID: 33925165 PMCID: PMC8125599 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18094712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Numerous studies have shown that youth with behavioral disorders (BD) present an increased risk for developing severe and persistent antisocial behaviors in adulthood. Retrospective research notes that not all children and adolescents follow a negative trajectory and explains this heterogeneity in particular by the severity of CU traits. Our study examines how these traits affect the functioning of children and adolescents with BD. Method: A systematic literature review conducted through various databases and using different keywords made it possible to analyze 52 studies published from 2015 to 2020 that measured the bidirectional effects of CU traits on the functioning of young. Results: Out of the 52 studies, 47 analyzed links between CU traits and neurobiological or mental health, 20 examined family and school contexts, eight focused on social adjustment, 10 on social interactions and 19 measured links with cognitive functioning, especially executive functions. Conclusion: Consistent with previous recommendations in the field, our findings emphasize the importance of assessing the presence of UC traits in early childhood to prevent the emergence of comorbid disorders and to target multimodal (early) interventions to influence the life trajectories of youth with high CU traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam Squillaci
- Department of Special Education, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
- Correspondence:
| | - Valérie Benoit
- Department of Special Education, University of Teacher Education of State of Vaud, 1014 Lausanne, Switzerland;
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49
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Childhood conduct problems are associated with reduced white matter fibre density and morphology. J Affect Disord 2021; 281:638-645. [PMID: 33239244 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.11.098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Childhood conduct problems are an important public health issue as these children are at-risk of adverse outcomes. Studies using diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging (dMRI) have found that conduct problems in adults are characterised by abnormal white-matter microstructure within a range of white matter pathways underpinning socio-emotional processing, while evidence within children and adolescents has been less conclusive based on non-specific diffusion tensor imaging metrics. Fixel-based analysis (FBA) provides measures of fibre density and morphology that are more sensitive to developmental changes in white matter microstructure. The current study used FBA to investigate whether childhood conduct problems were related both cross-sectionally and longitudinally to microstructural alterations within the fornix, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), and the uncinate fasciculus (UF). dMRI data was obtained for 130 children across two time-points in a community sample with high levels of externalising difficulties (age: time-point 1 = 9.47 - 11.86 years, time-point 2 = 10.67 -13.45 years). Conduct problems were indexed at each time-point using the Conduct Problems subscale of the parent-informant Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Conduct problems were related to lower fibre density in the fornix at both time-points, and in the ILF at time-point 2. We also observed lower fibre cross-section in the UF at time-point 1. The change in conduct problems did not predict longitudinal changes in white-matter microstructure across time-points. The current study suggests that childhood conduct problems are related to reduced fibre-specific microstructure within white matter fibre pathways implicated in socio-emotional functioning.
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50
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Kohls G, Fairchild G, Bernhard A, Martinelli A, Smaragdi A, Gonzalez-Madruga K, Wells A, Rogers JC, Pauli R, Oldenhof H, Jansen L, van Rhijn A, Kersten L, Alfano J, Baumann S, Herpertz-Dahlmann B, Vetro A, Lazaratou H, Hervas A, Fernández-Rivas A, Popma A, Stadler C, De Brito SA, Freitag CM, Konrad K. Neuropsychological Subgroups of Emotion Processing in Youths With Conduct Disorder. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:585052. [PMID: 33414731 PMCID: PMC7783416 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.585052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: At the group level, youths with conduct disorder (CD) show deficient emotion processing across various tasks compared to typically developing controls (TDC). But little is known about neuropsychological subgroups within the CD population, the clinical correlates of emotion processing deficits [for instance, with regard to the presence or absence of the DSM-5 Limited Prosocial Emotions (LPE) specifier], and associated risk factors. Methods: 542 children and adolescents with CD (317 girls) and 710 TDCs (479 girls), aged 9-18 years, were included from the FemNAT-CD multisite study. All participants completed three neuropsychological tasks assessing emotion recognition, emotion learning, and emotion regulation. We used a self-report measure of callous-unemotional traits to create a proxy for the LPE specifier. Results: Relative to TDCs, youths with CD as a group performed worse in all three emotion domains. But using clinically based cut-off scores, we found poor emotion recognition skills in only 23% of the participants with CD, followed by emotion regulation deficits in 18%, and emotion learning deficits in 13% of the CD group. Critically, the majority of youths with CD (~56%) did not demonstrate any meaningful neuropsychological deficit, and only a very small proportion showed pervasive deficits across all three domains (~1%). Further analyses indicate that established DSM-5 subtypes of CD are not tightly linked to neurocognitive deficits in one particular emotion domain over another (i.e., emotion recognition deficits in CD+LPE vs. emotion regulation deficits in CD-LPE). Conclusions: Findings from this large-scale data set suggest substantial neuropsychological diversity in emotion processing in the CD population and, consequently, only a subgroup of youths with CD are likely to benefit from additional behavioral interventions specifically targeting emotion processing mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregor Kohls
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Child Neuropsychology Section, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Graeme Fairchild
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Anka Bernhard
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anne Martinelli
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Areti Smaragdi
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Amy Wells
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Jack C. Rogers
- School of Psychology, Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth Pauli
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Helena Oldenhof
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health – Mental Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Lucres Jansen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health – Mental Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Arthur van Rhijn
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health – Mental Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Linda Kersten
- Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Janine Alfano
- Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Baumann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Agnes Vetro
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Pediatrics and Child Health Center, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Helen Lazaratou
- Child and Adolescent Unit of the 1st Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Amaia Hervas
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit, University Hospital Mutua Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Arne Popma
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health – Mental Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Christina Stadler
- Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stephane A. De Brito
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Christine M. Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Kerstin Konrad
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Child Neuropsychology Section, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, RWTH Aachen and Research Centre Juelich, Juelich, Germany
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