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Callous–Unemotional Traits as Markers for Conduct Problem Severity in Early Childhood: A Meta-analysis

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Abstract

Extensive research has shown that callous–unemotional (CU) traits in middle-childhood and adolescence are markers for a particularly severe and chronic pattern of antisocial behavior (Frick et al. in Psychol Bull 140:1–57, 2014). Comparatively little, however, is known about the relationship between CU traits and antisocial behavior in early childhood. A meta-analysis of k = 10 studies comprising n = 5731 participants was conducted to examine the relationship between CU traits and conduct problem severity prior to 5 years of age. Overall, a significant positive relationship was found between CU traits and conduct problem severity, in the order of large effect size (r = .39, p < .001). Moderator analyses revealed that this relationship differed based on use of same versus different informant across measures, but was consistent across sex and sample type (at-risk/clinic referred or community). This supports the view that CU traits represent a potentially informative focus for clinical assessment in early childhood.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the authors who generously shared their data files with us for the purpose of this meta-analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Thea Longman & David J. Hawes

  2. Karitane, Sydney South West Area Health Service, PO Box 241, Villawood, NSW, 2163, Australia

    Jane Kohlhoff

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  1. Thea Longman
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  2. David J. Hawes
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  3. Jane Kohlhoff
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Correspondence to David J. Hawes.

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Longman, T., Hawes, D.J. & Kohlhoff, J. Callous–Unemotional Traits as Markers for Conduct Problem Severity in Early Childhood: A Meta-analysis. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 47, 326–334 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-015-0564-9

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