Stability and Malleability of Callous-Unemotional Traits During Treatment for Childhood Conduct Problems

Abstract

This study examined stability and malleability in the callous-unemotional (CU) traits of young boys (M age = 6.29 years, SD = 1.55) referred to clinics with conduct problems who underwent a parent-training intervention. In contrast to the high stability predicted, CU scores dropped posttreatment for a subset of the sample. However, as hypothesized, posttreatment and 6-month follow-up measures of CU traits and general conduct problems were predicted by different variables. Post hoc analyses of cases grouped according to pattern of CU stability indicated that boys with the most stable high CU traits showed the poorest outcomes at follow-up.

This research was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund. We thank Rolf Loeber and Dustin Pardini for comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.

Notes

Note: APSD = Antisocial Process Screening Device; I = Impulsivity scale; NAR = Narcissism scale; CU = callous-unemotional; SDQ = Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; PRO = Prosocial Behavior scale; CP = Conduct Problems scale.

^a Answered in relation to the past week.

^b Answered in relation to the total duration of the intervention.

Note: Pre to post change and pre to follow-up change refers to the standardized mean difference between these time-points, expressed as Cohen's d statistic; clinical range refers to cut-point for 95th percentile of score distribution in an age and sex-matched community sample (N = 702; Dadds et al., 2005). CU = callous-unemotional; pre = pretreatment; post = posttreatment; ODD = Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

Note: CU = callous-unemotional; ODD = Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

∗p < .05.

∗∗p < .01.

Note: CU = callous-unemotional; DASS = Depression Anxiety Stress Scales 21

∗p < .05.

∗∗p < .01.

Note: Lower values indicate greater frequency and greater effectiveness. Means in the same row followed by the same subscripts differ significantly. CU = callous-unemotional.

^a N = 13.

^b N = 10.

^c N = 22.