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A Validation of the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits in a Community Sample of Young Adult Males

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Abstract

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits have been shown to delineate a subgroup of individuals at high risk for exhibiting severe and persistent criminal behavior. The Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU; Frick 2004) was recently developed as a comprehensive rating scale designed to measure multiple facets of CU traits. However, validation of this measure has been limited to youth in adolescence and emerging adulthood (age range =12–20), leaving questions about the utility of this measure in early adulthood unanswered. The current study evaluated the factor structure of the ICU within a racially diverse and well characterized community sample of adult males (n = 425) using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). While results found the best fitting model to be the three-bifactor structure that has been previously reported in adolescent samples, the fit indices were only marginally acceptable and suggest the need for scale refinement. Total and subscales scores demonstrated significant and distinct associations with relevant external criteria (e.g., delinquency, psychopathy, psychopathology, psychosocial functioning). Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

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Notes

  1. The original, rationally derived four factor model was also tested (see Kimonis et al. 2008). This model required items to load onto four intercorrelated factors (i.e., careless, callousness, uncaring, and unemotional). Results indicated poor fit (χ2 = 812.203; CFI = 0.704; TLI = 0.726; RMSEA = 0.164).

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Acknowledgments

This study is supported by grants awarded to Dr. Rolf Loeber from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA411018), National Institute on Mental Health (MH 48890, MH 50778), the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (96-MU-FX-0012), and the Pennsylvania Department of Health (SAP 4100043365). Dr. Dustin Pardini’s efforts are supported by funding from the National Institute of Mental Health (1K01MH078039-01A1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Sterling Plaza, Suite 408, 201 North Craig St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA

    Amy L. Byrd

  2. Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Rachel E. Kahn

  3. Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Dustin A. Pardini

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  1. Amy L. Byrd
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  2. Rachel E. Kahn
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  3. Dustin A. Pardini
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Correspondence to Amy L. Byrd.

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Byrd, A.L., Kahn, R.E. & Pardini, D.A. A Validation of the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits in a Community Sample of Young Adult Males. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 35, 20–34 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-012-9315-4

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