1
|
Waller R, Flum M, Paz Y, Perkins ER, Rodriguez Y, Knox A, Pelella MR, Jones C, Sun S, Denham SA, Herrington J, Parish-Morris J. Objective Linguistic Markers Associated with Callous-Unemotional Traits in Early Childhood. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2024:10.1007/s10802-024-01219-4. [PMID: 38874652 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-024-01219-4] [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] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Callous-unemotional (CU) traits are associated with interpersonal difficulties and risk for severe conduct problems (CP). The ability to communicate thoughts and feelings is critical to social success, with language a promising treatment target. However, no prior studies have examined objective linguistic correlates of childhood CU traits in early childhood, which could give insight into underlying risk mechanisms and novel target treatments. METHODS We computed lexical (positive emotion, sad, and anger words) and conversational (interruptions and speech rate) markers produced by 131 children aged 5-6 years (M = 5.98; SD = 0.54, 58.8% female) and their parents while narrating wordless storybooks during two online visits separated by 6-8 weeks (M = 6.56, SD = 1.11; two books, order counterbalanced). Audio recordings were diarized, time-aligned, and orthographically transcribed using WebTrans. Conversational markers were calculated using R and word frequencies were calculated using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software. We examined links between child CU traits and linguistic markers, and explored whether relationships were moderated by child sex. RESULTS Higher CU traits were associated with fewer positive emotion words produced by parents and children. Higher CU traits were also associated with greater concordance in the degree of interruptions and expression of anger emotion words by parents and children. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that objective linguistic correlates of CU traits are detectable during early childhood, which could inform adjunctive treatment modules that improve outcomes by precisely tracking and targeting subtle communication patterns.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R Waller
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - M Flum
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Y Paz
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - E R Perkins
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Y Rodriguez
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - A Knox
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - M R Pelella
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - C Jones
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - S Sun
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - S A Denham
- George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - J Herrington
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylva, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - J Parish-Morris
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylva, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Levantini V, Muratori P, Bertacchi I, Grilli V, Marzano A, Masi G, Milone A, Kimonis ER. The "Measure of Empathy in Early Childhood": Psychometric Properties and Associations with Externalizing Problems and Callous Unemotional Traits. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2024:10.1007/s10578-024-01673-7. [PMID: 38261151 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-024-01673-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Empathy is crucial to the development of socio-emotional skills in youth and empathy development is central to understanding and subtyping youth with externalizing problems. This study explored for the first time the psychometric properties of the Measure of Empathy in Early Childhood (MEEC) in a sample of 652 Italian children aged 6 to 8 years. The gender invariance of MEEC scores and their associations with other measures of empathy and prosocial behavior, and children's externalizing problems and callous-unemotional (CU) traits were also evaluated. Results indicated that with some modifications, a 5-factor structure of the Italian version of MEEC scores fitted the data and was invariant across gender. Results further supported the reliability and validity of MEEC total and subscale scores. Practical implications of these results are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Levantini
- Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, IRCCS Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy
| | - Pietro Muratori
- Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, IRCCS Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Iacopo Bertacchi
- Accademia di Neuropsicologia dello Sviluppo (A.N.Svi), Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Virginia Grilli
- Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, IRCCS Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Gabriele Masi
- Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, IRCCS Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy
| | - Annarita Milone
- Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, IRCCS Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy
| | - Eva R Kimonis
- Parent-Child Research Clinic, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Zhu J, Xia X, Wu Q, Zou S, Li Y. Callous-Unemotional Traits and Social Adjustment among Chinese Preschoolers: The Moderating Role of Teacher-Child Relationship. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3426. [PMID: 36834123 PMCID: PMC9966528 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Callous-unemotional (CU) traits are associated with social adjustment difficulties, but few studies have examined the underlying mechanisms in Chinese preschoolers. This study examined the relationship between CU traits and social adjustment among Chinese preschoolers as well as the moderating role of the teacher-child relationship in the association. Participants were 484 preschool children aged 3-6 years old from Shanghai, China (Mage = 5.56 years, SD = 0.96 years). Parents reported children's CU traits and teachers reported their relationship with children and rated children's social adjustment as well. The results revealed that (1) children with higher CU traits positively related to aggressive and asocial behavior with peers, but negatively related to prosocial behavior; (2) the teacher-child relationship moderated the relationship between CU traits and social adjustment in children. Specifically, teacher-child conflict exacerbated the aggressive and asocial behavior of children with CU traits and reduced the prosocial behavior of children with CU traits. These findings extended the current research on CU traits and had important implications for early interventions targeted at children with CU traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Zhu
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
| | - Xiaoying Xia
- School of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University Tianhua College, Shanghai 201815, China
| | - Qianqian Wu
- Wuchang Experimental Kindergarten, Wuhan 430061, China
| | - Shiyao Zou
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
| | - Yan Li
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
| |
Collapse
|