Callous-unemotional traits mediate the effect of childhood maltreatment in later non-consensual sexting practices

Figures & data

Table 1. Pearson and spearman correlations (r) among variables.

Variables	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Childhood Trauma
1. Emotional Abuse	–
2. Emotional Neglect		–
3. Sexual Abuse			–
4. Physical Abuse				–
5. Physical Neglect					–
CU traits
6. Uncaring	−.09	−.35**	−.14*	−.14*	−.29**	–	–
7. Callousness	.23**	.18**	.33**	.33**	.35**		–	–
8. Sexting Perpetration^†	.19**	.15**	.20**	.35**	.25**	−.19**	.37**	–

N = 358; *p < .05; **p < .01; ^†Spearman’s r.

Table 2. Group differences for childhood trauma and callous-unemotional traits in non-consensual sexting perpetration.

Variables	Non- Consensual Sexting Perpetration		t	p	Cohen´s d
	No (n = 179) M ± SD	Yes (n = 179) M ± SD
Childhood Trauma
Total	45.98 ± 10.49	52.87 ± 15.46	−4.93	<.001	.52
Emotional Abuse	7.59 ± 3.65	9.04 ± 4.48	−3.37	<.001	.35
Emotional Neglect	9.41 ± 4.63	11.08 ± 5.55	−3.09	.002	.33
Sexual Abuse	5.75 ± 2.58	6.82 ± 3.92	−3.03	.003	.32
Physical Abuse	5.84 ± 2.37	7.55 ± 4.04	−4.88	<.001	.52
Physical Neglect	6.64 ± 2.63	8.25 ± 3.73	−4.72	<.001	.50
Callous-Unemotional Traits
Total	27.10 ± 9.08	28.26 ± 8.93	−1.23	.221	.13
Uncaring	21.27 ± 7.57	19.05 ± 6.80	−2.92	.004	.31
Callousness	5.82 ± 4.87	9.21 ± 4.75	−6.67	<.001	.70

*p < .05; **p < .001.

Figure 1. Statistical mediation of the association between emotional neglect and non-consensual sexting behavior mediated by uncaring and callousness traits.

Note. CTQ = Childhood Traumatic Questionnaire; CI = Confidence Interval. Solid lines indicate direct effect; Doted lines indicate indirect effect.

Regarding the relationship between physical abuse and non-consensual sexting, callousness trait (indirect effect = .06, 95% CI [0.03, 0.11]) and uncaring traits (Indirect effect = .01, CI 95% [0.00, 0.03]) partially mediated the mentioned relationship. However, CU traits (Indirect effect = .00, CI 95% [-0.00, 0.01]) did not mediate the relationship. The results of mediation analyses are reported in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Statistical mediation of the association between physical abuse and non-consensual sexting behavior mediated by uncaring and callousness traits.

Note. CTQ = Childhood Traumatic Questionnaire; CI = Confidence Interval. Solid lines indicate direct effect; Doted lines indicate indirect effect.

The estimated indirect effects showed that callousness traits (Indirect effect = .07, 95% CI [0.04, 0.12]) and uncaring traits (Indirect effect = .01, CI 95% [0.00, 0.03]) are partial mediators of the relationship between sexual abuse and non-consensual sexting. Regarding CU traits, these acted as non-mediators of the relationship between sexual abuse and non-consensual sexting behavior (Indirect effect = .00, CI 95% [-0.00, 0.01]). The results of mediation analyses are reported in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Statistical mediation of the association between sexual abuse and non-consensual sexting behavior mediated by uncaring and callousness trait.

Note. CTQ = Childhood Traumatic Questionnaire; CI = Confidence Interval. Solid lines indicate direct effect; Doted lines indicate indirect effect.

Emotional abuse and non-consensual sexting were found to be partially mediated by callousness traits (Indirect effect = .04, CI 95% [0.02, 0.07]) while uncaring traits (Indirect effect = .00, CI 95% [-0.00, 0.02]) and CU traits (Indirect effect = .00, CI 95% [-0.00, 0.01]) acted as non-mediators of the relationship. The results of the mediation analyses are reported in Figure 4.

Figure 4. Statistical mediation of the association between emotional abuse and non-consensual sexting behavior mediated by uncaring and callousness traits.

Note. CTQ = Childhood Traumatic Questionnaire; CI = Confidence Interval. Solid lines indicate direct effect; Doted lines indicate indirect effect.

Estimated indirect effects showed that callousness traits acted as a partial mediator between physical neglect and non-consensual sexting behavior (Indirect effect = .07, CI 95% [0.04, 0.11]), while uncaring traits (Indirect effect = .02, CI 95% [-0.00, 0.04]) and CU traits were found as non-mediators of the relationship (Indirect effect = −.00, CI 95% [-0.01, 0.01]). The results of the mediation analyses are reported in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Statistical mediation of the association between physical neglect and non-consensual sexting behavior mediated by uncaring and callousness traits.

Note. CTQ = Childhood Traumatic Questionnaire; CI = Confidence Interval. Solid lines indicate direct effect; Doted lines indicate indirect effect.