Conceptualizing callous-unemotional traits in preschoolers: Associations with social-emotional competencies and aggressive behavior

Abstract

Background Extensive empirical evidence suggests that high Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits in childhood and adolescence can reliably identify individuals at risk for antisocial outcomes. The present study addresses research gaps by investigating the factor structure of CU traits in children at preschool age. Methods The sample includes 371 children (49.6% female, M age = 4.7, SD = 0.69). Using the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional-Traits (ICU), six alternative confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to find the best fitting model for our preschool sample. Children’s level of emotional competence and aggressive behavior was assed using a German questionnaire, the Behavior Rating Scales for Preschoolers (Verhaltensskalen für das Kindergartenalter, VSK) in a preschool teachers’ rating. Post hoc cluster analytic strategies and ANOVA were applied to identify groups of children with regard to their combination of social-emotional competences and CU traits, and to examine associations with aggressive behavior. Results Results indicate that a two-factor model revealed the best fit to our data, including a callous and an uncaring factor using 12 of the original 24 ICU items. Cluster analytic strategies reveal a risk group of children demonstrating high rates of callousness and uncaring combined with weak emotion knowledge/empathy and social competence. ANOVA shows that children in the risk group demonstrate the highest levels of aggressive behavior. Conclusions Group characteristics indicate that the construct of CU traits in early childhood may be nothing other than a social-emotional developmental deficit.

Factor structure of callous unemotional traits and its associations with morality in middle childhood in a German community sample

“…Kahn et al, 2012;Zumbach et al, 2021). Additionally, the exclusion of the unemotional items from the nal model is in line with literature highlighting methodological shortcomings in the unemotionality dimension(Cardinale & Marsh, 2020).…”

“…Therefore, the study seeks to assess the psychometric structure of the ICU in a community sample of middle childhood participants from Germany. The aim of the study is to add to previous research and replicate ndings of studies investigating the properties of the ICU in German samples (e.g., Essau et al, 2006;Zumbach et al, 2021) and of international studies focusing on children in middle childhood (e.g., Hawes et al, 2014b;Houghton et al, 2013;Willoughby et al, 2015). Additionally, to address the research gap concerning associations between callous-unemotional traits and moral development in middle childhood, additional correlation analyses are to be conducted between the identi ed factors and the moral self.…”

“…Factor Structure of Callous-unemotional Traits in Middle Childhood Tomlinson et al (2022) discuss that most work focused on adolescence (e.g., Essau et al, 2006;Pihet et al, 2015) or early childhood (e.g., Longman et al, 2016;Zumbach et al, 2021) rather than middle childhood (e.g., Gao & Zhang, 2016;Houghton et al, 2013). In this regard, middle childhood emerges as an interesting life stage because antisocial behavior is relatively more stable and less prevalent here than in adolescence (Mo tt, 2018; Tomlinson et al,…”

“…The literature reveals discrepancies in de ning CU traits using the ICU among child and adolescent samples (Gao & Zhang, 2016; Hawes et al, 2014b; Houghton et al, 2013;Willoughby et al, 2015). Many studies do not consider the in uence of children's social-emotional(Zumbach et al, 2021) and moral development on their analyses. Neglecting these aspects, particularly during middle childhood, constrains the depth of result interpretation.…”

Describing Callous Unemotional Traits and Stressful Life Event Trajectories: Differences on Risk Factors and Mental Health Outcomes from the Age of 3 to 10

“…While the construct of psychopathy is only applied to adults, CU traits can already be observed from early childhood on (Kimonis et al, 2016) and there is evidence that CU traits in early childhood co-occur with psychopathic traits and can therefore be considered the precursors to adult psychopathy (Klingzel et al, 2016). Moreover, early onset CU traits have been linked with fearlessness, aggressive behavior, and rule-breaking (Waller & Hyde, 2018) and are considered a risk factor for severe conduct problems (Donohue et al, 2021) and low socio-emotional competencies (Zumbach et al, 2021). Early childhood CU traits also predict externalizing behavior (Song et al, 2016) and severe and persistent antisocial behavior over time (Willoughby et al, 2014).…”