Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Interactions between Callous Unemotional Behaviors and Executive Function in Early Childhood Predict later Aggression and Lower Peer-liking in Late-childhood

  • Published:
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Callous unemotional (CU) behaviors are linked to aggression, behavior problems, and difficulties in peer relationships in children and adolescents. However, few studies have examined whether early childhood CU behaviors predict aggression or peer-rejection during late-childhood or potential moderation of this relationship by executive function. The current study examined whether the interaction of CU behaviors and executive function in early childhood predicted different forms of aggression in late-childhood, including proactive, reactive, and relational aggression, as well as how much children were liked by their peers. Data from cross-informant reports and multiple observational tasks were collected from a high-risk sample (N = 240; female = 118) at ages 3 and 10 years old. Parent reports of CU behaviors at age 3 predicted teacher reports of reactive, proactive, and relational aggression, as well as lower peer-liking at age 10. Moderation analysis showed that specifically at high levels of CU behaviors and low levels of observed executive function, children were reported by teachers as showing greater reactive and proactive aggression, and were less-liked by peers. Findings demonstrate that early childhood CU behaviors and executive function have unique main and interactive effects on both later aggression and lower peer-liking even when taking into account stability in behavior problems over time. By elucidating how CU behaviors and deficits in executive function potentiate each other during early childhood, we can better characterize the emergence of severe and persistent behavior and interpersonal difficulties across development.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

CU:

callous unemotional

References

  • Achenbach, T. M. (1992). Manual for the child behavior checklist/2–3 and 1992 Profile. Burlington: University of Vermont.

    Google Scholar 

  • Achenbach, T. M. (1997). Guide for the caregiver-teacher report for ages 2–5. Burlington: University of Vermont, Department of Psychiatry.

    Google Scholar 

  • Achenbach, T. M., & Rescorla, L. (2000). ASEBA preschool forms & profiles: an integrated system of multi-informant assessment. Burlington: University of Vermont Department of Psychiatry.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aiken, L. S., & West, S. G. (1991). Multiple regression: testing and interpreting interactions. Newbuary Park: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baskin-Sommers, A. R., Waller, R., Fish, A. M., & Hyde, L. W. (2015). Callous-unemotional traits trajectories interact with earlier conduct problems and executive control to predict violence and substance use among high risk male adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 43, 1529–1541.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Camodeca, M., Goossens, F. A., Terwogt, M. M., & Schuengel, C. (2002). Bullying and victimization among school-age children: stability and links to proactive and reactive aggression. Social Development, 11, 332–345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, S. B. (1995). Behavior problems in preschool children: a review of recent research. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 36, 113–149.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Christian, R., Frick, P., Hill, N., Tyler, L., & Frazer, D. (1997). Psychopathy and conduct problems in children: II. Implications for subtyping children with conduct problems. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 36, 233–241.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Côté, S., Vaillancourt, T., LeBlanc, J. C., Nagin, D. S., & Tremblay, R. E. (2006). The development of physical aggression from toddlerhood to pre-adolescence: a nation wide longitudinal study of Canadian children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 34, 68–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, A., & Lee, K. (2011). Interventions shown to aid executive function development in children 4 to 12 years old. Science, 333, 959–964.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Dishion, T. J., Patterson, G. R., Stoolmiller, M., & Skinner, M. L. (1991). Family, school, and behavioral antecedents to early adolescent involvement with antisocial peers. Developmental Psychology, 27, 172–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dishion, T., Shaw, D., Connell, A., Gardner, F., Weaver, C., & Wilson, M. (2008). The Family Check Up with high risk indigent families: preventing problem behavior by increasing parents’ positive behavior support in early childhood. Child Development, 79, 1395–1414.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Dodge, K. A., & Coie, J. D. (1987). Social-information-processing factors in reactive and proactive aggression in children’s peer groups. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 1146–1158.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg, N., & Fabes, R. A. (1990). Empathy: conceptualization, measurement, and relation to prosocial behavior. Motivation and Emotion, 14, 131–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg, N., Spinrad, T. L., & Eggum, N. D. (2010). Emotion-related self-regulation and its relation to children’s maladjustment. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 6, 495–525.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Enders, C. K., & Bandalos, D. L. (2001). The relative performance of full information maximum likelihood estimation for missing data in structural equation models. Structural Equation Modeling, 8, 430–457.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fanti, K. A., & Kimonis, E. R. (2012). Bullying and victimization: the role of conduct problems and psychopathic traits. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 22, 617–631.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fehr, E., Bernhard, H., & Rockenbach, B. (2008). Egalitarianism in young children. Nature, 454, 1079–1083.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J. (2004). The Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits. Unpublished rating scale.

  • Frick, P. J., & Hare, R. D. (2001). Antisocial process screening device: APSD: Multi-Health Systems Toronto.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J., O’Brien, B. S., Wootton, J. M., & McBurnett, K. (1994). Psychopathy and conduct problems in children. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 103, 700–707.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J., Cornell, A. H., Barry, C. T., Bodin, S. D., & Dane, H. E. (2003). Callous-unemotional traits and conduct problems in the prediction of conduct problem severity, aggression, and self-report of delinquency. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 31, 457–470.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frick, P. J., Ray, J. V., Thornton, L. C., & Kahn, R. E. (2014). Can callousunemotional traits enhance the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of serious conduct problems in children and adolescents? A comprehensive review. Psychological Bulletin, 140, 1–57.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hawley, P. H. (2003). Prosocial and coercive configurations of resource control in early adolescence: a case for the well-adapted Machiavellian. Merrill-Palmer Q (1982-), 279–309.

  • Hay, D. F., Payne, A., & Chadwick, A. (2004). Peer relations in childhood. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45, 84–108.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, C., White, A., Sharpen, J., & Dunn, J. (2000). Antisocial, angry, and unsympathetic: Bhard-to-manage^ preschoolers’ peer problems and possible cognitive influences. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 41, 169–179.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hyde, L. W., Shaw, D. S., Gardner, F., Cheong, J., Dishion, T. J., & Wilson, M. (2013). Dimensions of callousness in early childhood: links to problem behavior and family intervention effectiveness. Development and Psychopathology, 25, 347–363.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hyde, L. W., Waller, R., Trentacosta, C. J., Shaw, D. S., Neiderhiser, J. M., Ganiban, J. M., & Leve, L. D. (2016). Heritable and nonheritable pathways to early callous-unemotional behaviors. The American Journal of Psychiatry. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.15111381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacques, S., & Zelazo, P. D. (2001). The flexible item selection task (FIST): a measure of executive function in preschoolers. Developmental Neuropsychology, 20, 573–591.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kerig, P. K., & Stellwagen, K. K. (2010). Roles of callous-unemotional traits, narcissism, and Machiavellianism in childhood aggression. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 32, 343–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kimonis, E. R., Frick, P. J., & Barry, C. T. (2004). Callous-unemotional traits and delinquent peer affiliation. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72, 956–966.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kimonis, E. R., Bagner, D. M., Linares, D., Blake, C. A., & Rodriguez, G. (2014). Parent training outcomes among young children with callous–unemotional conduct problems with or at risk for developmental delay. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 23, 437–448.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kochanska, G. (1997). Multiple pathways to conscience for children with different temperaments: fromtoddlerhood to age 5. Developmental Psychology, 33, 228–240.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kochanska, G., Murray, K., Jacques, T. Y., Koenig, A. L., & Vandegeest, K. A. (1996). Inhibitory control in young children and its role in emerging internalization. Child Development, 67, 490–507.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kochanska, G., Murray, K. T., & Harlan, E. T. (2000). Effortful control in early childhood: continuity and change, antecedents, and implications for social development. Developmental Psychology, 36, 220–232.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Longman, T., Hawes, D. J., & Kohlhoff, J. (2016). Callous–unemotional traits as markers for conduct problem severity in early childhood: a meta-analysis. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 47, 326–334.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miyake, A., & Friedman, N. P. (2012). The nature and organization of individual differences in executive functions four general conclusions. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 21, 8–14.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Moffitt, T. E. (1993). Adolescence-limited and life-course-persistent antisocial behavior: a developmental taxonomy. Psychological Review, 100, 674–701.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moffitt, E., Arseneault, L., Belsky, D., Dickson, N., Hancox, R. J., & Caspi, A. (2011). A gradient of childhood self-control predicts health, wealth, and public safety. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108, 2693–2698.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, A. B., & Lilienfeld, S. O. (2000). A meta-analytic review of the relation between antisocial behavior and neuropsychological measures of executive function. Clinical Psychology Review, 20, 113–136.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muñoz, L. C., Frick, P. J., Kimonis, E. R., & Aucoin, K. J. (2008). Verbal ability and delinquency: testing the moderating role of psychopathic traits. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49, 414–421.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (2012). Mplus user ‘s guide (7th ed.). Los Angeles: Muthén and Muthén.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olson, S. L., Sameroff, A. J., Kerr, D. C., Lopez, N. L., & Wellman, H. M. (2005). Developmental foundations of externalizing problems in young children: the role of effortful control. Development and Psychopathology, 17, 25–45.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Patrick, C. J., Hicks, B. M., Nichol, P. E., & Krueger, R. F. (2007). A bifactor approach to modeling the structure of the psychopathy checklist-revised. Journal of Personality Disorders, 21, 118–141.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Patrick, C. J., Fowles, D. C., & Krueger, R. F. (2009). Triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy: developmental origins of disinhibition, boldness, and meanness. Development and Psychopathology, 21, 913–938.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Poehlmann-Tynan, J., Vigna, A. B., Weymouth, L. A., Gerstein, E. D., Burnson, C., Zabransky, M., et al. (2016). A pilot study of contemplative practices with economically disadvantaged preschoolers: children’s empathic and self-regulatory behaviors. Mindfulness, 7, 46–58.

  • Polman, H., de Castro, B. O., Koops, W., van Boxtel, H. W., & Merk, W. W. (2007). A meta-analysis of the distinction between reactive and proactive aggression in children and adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 35, 522–535.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Preacher, K. J., Curran, P. J., & Bauer, D. J. (2006). Computational tools for probing interactions in multiple linear regression, multilevel modeling, and latent curve analysis. Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, 31, 437–448.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid, M. J., Webster-Stratton, C., & Baydar, N. (2004). Halting the development of conduct problems in head start children: the effects of parent training. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 33, 279–291.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Salmivalli, C., & Nieminen, E. (2002). Proactive and reactive aggression among school bullies, victims, and bully-victims. Aggressive Behavior, 28, 30–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, D. S., & Shelleby, E. C. (2014). Early-Starting Conduct Problems: Intersection of Conduct Problems and Poverty. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 10, 503–528.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, D. S., Gilliom, M., Ingoldsby, E. M., & Nagin, D. S. (2003). Trajectories leading to school-age conduct problems. Developmental Psychology, 39, 189–200.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shields, A., & Cicchetti, D. (1998). Reactive aggression among maltreated children: The contributions of attention and emotion dysregulation. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 27, 381–395.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Song, J. S., Waller, R., Hyde, L. W., & Olson, S. L. (2015). Early callousunemotional behavior, theory-of-mind, and a fearful/inhibited temperament predict externalizing problems in middle and late childhood. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. doi:10.1007/s10802-015-0099-3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spinrad, T. L., Eisenberg, N., Cumberland, A., Fabes, R. A., Valiente, C., Shepard, S. A., et al. (2006). Relation of emotion-related regulation to children’s social competence: a longitudinal study. Emotion, 6, 498–510.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Waller, R., Gardner, F., & Hyde, L. W. (2013). What are the associations between parenting, callous–unemotional traits, and antisocial behavior in youth? A systematic review of evidence. Clinical Psychology Review, 33, 593–608.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Waller, R., Hyde, L. W., Grabell, A. S., Alves, M. L., & Olson, S. L. (2015a). Differential associations of early callous unemotional, oppositional, and ADHD behaviors: multiple domains within early starting conduct problems? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 56, 657–666.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Waller, R., Shaw, D. S., Neiderhiser, J. M., Ganiban, J. M., Natsuaki,M. N.,Reiss, D., ... Hyde, L. W. (2015b). Towards an understanding of the role of the environment in the development of early callous behavior. Journal of Personality, doi:10.1111/jopy.12221

  • Waller, R., Dishion, T. J., Shaw, D. S., Gardner, F., Wilson, M., & Hyde, L.W. (2016). Does early childhood callous-unemotional behavior uniquely predict behavior problems or callous-unemotional behavior in late childhood? Developmental Psychology, in press.

  • Wechsler, D. (1989). WPPSI-R, manual:Wechsler preschool and primary scale of intelligence, revised. New York: Psychological Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilkinson, S., Waller, R., & Viding, E. (2015). Practitioner review: involving young people with callous unemotional traits in treatment–does it work? A systematic review. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 57, 552–565.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Willcutt, E. G., Doyle, A. E., Nigg, J. T., Faraone, S. V., & Pennington, B. F. (2005). Validity of the executive function theory of attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analytic review. Biological Psychiatry, 57, 1336–1346.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Willoughby, M. T., Waschbusch, D. A., Moore, G. A., & Propper, C. B. (2011). Using the ASEBA to screen for callous unemotional traits in early childhood: factor structure, temporal stability, and utility. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 33, 19–30.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Willoughby, M. T., Mills-Koonce, R. W., Gottfredson, N. C., & Wagner, N. J. (2014). Measuring callous unemotional behaviors in early childhood: factor structure and the prediction of stable aggression in middle childhood. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 36, 30–42.

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Grant R01MH57489 from the National Institute of Mental Health to Olson. Hyde was supported by Grant L40MH108392. We thank the children, parents, and teachers who shared their time and many individuals who helped with data collection, particularly Meribeth Gandy Pezda, David Kerr, Kevin Callender, and Nestor Lopez-Duran. We also thank administrators from the UM Children’s Center.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Rebecca Waller, Luke W. Hyde & Sheryl L. Olson

  2. Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Luke W. Hyde & Sheryl L. Olson

  3. Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Luke W. Hyde & Sheryl L. Olson

  4. Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    Arielle R. Baskin-Sommers

Authors
  1. Rebecca Waller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Luke W. Hyde
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Arielle R. Baskin-Sommers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sheryl L. Olson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luke W. Hyde.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

No conflicts declared.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.”

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Waller, R., Hyde, L.W., Baskin-Sommers, A.R. et al. Interactions between Callous Unemotional Behaviors and Executive Function in Early Childhood Predict later Aggression and Lower Peer-liking in Late-childhood. J Abnorm Child Psychol 45, 597–609 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-016-0184-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-016-0184-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation