Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Antisocial and Callous Behaviour in Children

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Neuroscience of Aggression

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences ((CTBN,volume 17))

Abstract

Antisocial behaviour is one of the most common reasons for a childhood referral to mental health and educational services and represents a substantial public health cost. Callous-unemotional traits can be used to distinguish children who are capable of pre-meditated antisocial behaviour and violence from those whose antisocial behaviour and violence are primarily impulsive and threat reactive. Decades of developmental psychopathology research have shown that children with antisocial behaviour are thus a heterogeneous group and, for interventions to be successful, it is critical that distinct subgroups of children receive services that best match their profile of vulnerabilities and strengths. Recent advances in genetic and brain imaging research in the field have made important contributions to our understanding of the developmental vulnerability that callous-unemotional traits represent. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the current evidence base with regard to genetic and neuroscience findings of callous-unemotional traits and antisocial behaviour with callous-unemotional traits. We also discuss the implications of these findings for prevention and intervention, and finish by outlining what we consider are necessary directions for future research.

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

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Please note that the terms antisocial behaviour and conduct problems will be used interchangeably in this review.

References

  • Barker ED, Oliver BR, Viding E, Salekin RT, Maughan B (2011) The impact of prenatal maternal risk, fearless temperament and early parenting on adolescent callous-unemotional traits: a 14-year longitudinal investigation. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 52(8):878–888

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beitchman JH, Zai CC, Muir K, Berall L, Nowrouzi B, Choi E, Kennedy JL (2012) Childhood aggression, callous-unemotional traits and oxytocin genes. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 21(3):125–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bezdjian S, Raine A, Baker LA, Lynam DR (2011) Psychopathic personality in children: genetic and environmental contributions. Psychol Med 41(3):589–600

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Birbaumer N, Veit R, Lotze M, Erb M, Hermann C, Grodd W, Flor H (2005) Deficient fear conditioning in psychopathy: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Arch Gen Psychiatry 62(7):799–805

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blair RJR, Viding E (2008) Psychopathy. Rutter’s Child Adolesc Psychiatry :852–863

    Google Scholar 

  • Blonigen DM, Carlson SR, Krueger RF, Patrick CJ (2003) A twin study of self-reported psychopathic personality traits. Personality Individ Differ 35(1):179–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blonigen DM, Hicks BM, Krueger RF, Patrick CJ, Iacono WG (2005) Psychopathic personality traits: heritability and genetic overlap with internalizing and externalizing psychopathology. Psychol Med 35(5):637–648

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blonigen DM, Hicks BM, Krueger RF, Patrick CJ, Iacono WG (2006) Continuity and change in psychopathic traits as measured via normal-range personality: a longitudinal-biometric study. J Abnorm Psychol 115(1):85–95

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bouchard TJ Jr, Loehlin JC (2001) Genes, evolution, and personality. Behav Genet 31(3):243–273

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bowlby J (1946) Forty-four juvenile thieves: their home life. Bailliere, Tindall & Cox, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckholtz JW, Meyer-Lindenberg A (2008) MAOA and the neurogenetic architecture of human aggression. Trends Neurosci 31(3):120–129

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell A (2010) Oxytocin and human social behavior. Pers Soc Psychol Rev 14(3):281–295

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cicchetti D, Rogosch FA (1996) Equifinality and multifinality in developmental psychopathology. Dev Psychopathol 8(4):597–600

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cleckley H (1941) The mask of insanity, 1st edn. Mosby, St Louis

    Google Scholar 

  • Crapanzano AM, Frick PJ, Childs K, Terranova AM (2011) Gender differences in the assessment, stability, and correlates to bullying roles in middle school children. Behav Sci Law 29(5):677–694

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dadds MR, Cauchi AJ, Wimalaweera S, Hawes DJ, Brennan J (2012) Outcomes, moderators, and mediators of empathic-emotion recognition training for complex conduct problems in childhood. Psychiatry Res 199(3):201–207

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dadds MR, Jambrak J, Pasalich D, Hawes DJ, Brennan J (2011) Impaired attention to the eyes of attachment figures and the developmental origins of psychopathy. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 52(3):238–245

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dadds MR, Moul C, Cauchi A, Hawes DJ, Brennan J (in press) Replication of a ROBO2 polymorphism associated with conduct problems but not psychopathic tendencies in children. Psychiatric Genetics

    Google Scholar 

  • Dadds MR, Perry Y, Hawes DJ, Merz S, Riddell AC, Haines DJ, Solak E, Abeygunawardane AI (2006) Attention to the eyes and fear-recognition deficits in child psychopathy. Br J Psychiatry 189:280–281

    Google Scholar 

  • Dadds MR, Rhodes T (2008) Aggression in young children with concurrent callous-unemotional traits: can the neurosciences inform progress and innovation in treatment approaches? Philos Trans R Soc B: Biol Sci 363(1503):2567–2576

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Brito SA, Mechelli A, Wilke M, Laurens KR, Jones AP, Barker GJ, Hodgins S, Viding E (2009) Size matters: increased grey matter in boys with conduct problems and callousunemotional traits. Brain 132(4):843–852

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Brito SA, McCrory EJ, Mechelli A, Wilke M, Jones AP, Hodgins S, Viding E (2011) Small, but not perfectly formed: decreased white matter concentration in boys with psychopathic tendencies. Mol Psychiatry 16:476–477

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Wied M, Van Boxtel A, Matthys W, Meeus W (2012) Verbal, facial and autonomic responses to empathy-eliciting film clips by disruptive male adolescents with high versus low callous-unemotional traits. J Abnorm Child Psychol 40(2):211–223

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dodge KA, Crick NR (1990) Social information-processing bases of aggressive behavior in children. Pers Soc Psychol Bull 16(1):8–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fairchild G, Passamonti L, Hurford G, Hagan CC, Von Dem Hagen EAH, Van Goozen SHM, Goodyer IM, Calder AJ (2011) Brain structure abnormalities in early-onset and adolescent-onset conduct disorder. Am J Psychiatry 168(6):624–633

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Finger EC, Marsh AA, Blair KS, Reid ME, Sims C, Ng P, Pine DS, Blair RJR (2011) Disrupted reinforcement signaling in the orbitofrontal cortex and caudate in youths with conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder and a high level of psychopathic traits. Am J Psychiatry 168(2):152–162

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Finger EC, Marsh AA, Mitchell DG, Reid ME, Sims C, Budhani S, Kosson DS, Chen G, Towbin KE, Leibenluft E, Pine DS, Blair JR (2008) Abnormal ventromedial prefrontal cortex function in children with psychopathic traits during reversal learning. Arch Gen Psychiatry 65(5):586–594

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fontaine NMG, McCrory EJP, Boivin M, Moffitt TE, Viding E (2011) Predictors and outcomes of joint trajectories of callous-unemotional traits and conduct problems in childhood. J Abnorm Psychol 120(3):730–742

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fontaine NMG, Rijsdijk FV, McCrory EJP, Viding E (2010) Etiology of different developmental trajectories of callous-unemotional traits. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 49(7):656–664

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Forsman M, Larrson H, Andershed H, Lichtenstein P (2007) Persistent disruptive childhood behavior and psychopathic personality in adolescence: a twin study. Br J Dev Psychol 25:383–398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forsman M, Lichtenstein P, Andershed H, Larsson H (2008) Genetic effects explain the stability of psychopathic personality from mid- to late adolescence. J Abnorm Psychol 117(3):606–617

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Forsman M, Lichtenstein P, Andershed H, Larsson H (2010) A longitudinal twin study of the direction of effects between psychopathic personality and antisocial behaviour. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 51(1):39–47

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fowler T, Langley K, Rice F, Van Den Bree MBM, Ross K, Wilkinson LS, Owen MJ, O’Donovan MC, Thapar A (2009) Psychopathy trait scores in adolescents with childhood ADHD: the contribution of genotypes affecting MAOA, 5HTT and COMT activity. Psychiatr Genet 19(6):312–319

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frick PJ, Cornell AH, Barry CT, Bodin SD, Dane HE (2003) Callous-unemotional traits and conduct problems in the prediction of conduct problem severity, aggression, and self-report of delinquency. J Abnorm Child Psychol 31(4):457–470

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frick PJ, Lilienfeld SO, Ellis M, Loney B, Silverthorn P (1999) The association between anxiety and psychopathy dimensions in children. J Abnorm Child Psychol 27(5):383–392

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frick PJ, Moffitt TE (2010) A proposal to the DSM-V childhood disorders and the ADHD and disruptive behavior disorders work groups to include a specifier to the diagnosis of conduct disorder based on the presence of callous-unemotional traits. American Psychiatric Association, Washington, pp 1–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Frick PJ, O’Brien BS, Wootton JM, McBurnett K (1994) Psychopathy and conduct problems in children. J Abnorm Psychol 103(4):700–707

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frick PJ, Viding E (2009) Antisocial behavior from a developmental psychopathology perspective. Dev Psychopathol 21(4):1111–1131

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gao Y, Glenn AL, Schug RA, Yang Y, Raine A (2009) The neurobiology of psychopathy: a neurodevelopmental perspective. Can J Psychiatry 54(12):813–823

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Glenn AL (2011) The other allele: exploring the long allele of the serotonin transporter gene as a potential risk factor for psychopathy: a review of the parallels in findings. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 35(3):612–620

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gogtay N, Giedd JN, Lusk L, Hayashi KM, Greenstein D, Vaituziz AC, Nugent TF III, Herman DH, Clasen LS, Toga AW, Rapoport JL, Thompson PM (2004) Dynamic mapping of human cortical development during childhood through early adulthood. Proc Natl Acad Sci 101:8174–8179

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hawes DJ, Dadds MR (2005) The treatment of conduct problems in children with callous-unemotional traits. J Consult Clin Psychol 73(4):737–741

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hawes DJ, Dadds MR (2007) Stability and malleability of callous-unemotional traits during treatment for childhood conduct problems. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 36(3):347–355

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hawes DJ, Dadds MR, Frost ADJ, Hasking PA (2011) Do childhood callous-unemotional traits drive change in parenting practices? J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 40(4):507–518

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hicks BM, Patrick CJ (2006) Psychopathy and negative emotionality: analyses of suppressor effects reveal distinct relations with emotional distress, fearfulness, and anger-hostility. J Abnorm Psychol 115(2):276–287

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jones AP, Happé FG, Gilbert F, Burnett S, Viding E (2010) Feeling, caring, knowing: different types of empathy deficit in boys with psychopathic tendencies and autism spectrum disorder. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 51(11):1188–1197

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jones AP, Laurens KR, Herba CM, Barker GJ, Viding E (2009) Amygdala hypoactivity to fearful faces in boys with conduct problems and callous-unemotional traits. Am J Psychiatry 166(1):95–102

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kiehl KA, Smith AM, Hare RD, Mendrek A, Forster BB, Brink J, Liddle PF (2001) Limbic abnormalities in affective processing by criminal psychopaths as revealed by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Biol Psychiatry 50(9):677–684

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kim-Cohen J, Caspi A, Moffitt TE, Harrington H, Milne BJ, Poulton R (2003) Prior juvenile diagnoses in adults with mental disorder: developmental follow-back of a prospective-longitudinal cohort. Arch Gen Psychiatry 60(7):709–717

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kochanska G (1997) Mutually responsive orientation between mothers and their young children: implications for early socialization. Child Dev 68(1):94–112

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kumsta R, Sonuga-Barke E, Rutter M (2012) Adolescent callous-unemotional traits and conduct disorder in adoptees exposed to severe early deprivation. Br J Psychiatry 200(3):197–201

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Larsson H, Andershed H, Lichtenstein P (2006) A genetic factor explains most of the variation in the psychopathic personality. J Abnorm Psychol 115(2):221–230

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Larsson H, Tuvblad C, Rijsdijk FV, Andershed H, Grann M, Lichtenstein P (2007) A common genetic factor explains the association between psychopathic personality and antisocial behavior. Psychol Med 37(1):15–26

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Larsson H, Viding E, Plomin R (2008) Callous-unemotional traits and antisocial behavior: genetic, environmental, and early parenting characteristics. Crim Justice Behav 35(2):197–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lau KSL, Marsee MA (2012) Exploring narcissism, psychopathy, and machiavellianism in youth: examination of associations with antisocial behavior and aggression. J Child Family Stud:1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Lynam DR, Derefinko KJ, Caspi A, Loeber R, Stouthamer-Loeber M (2007) The content validity of juvenile psychopathy: an empirical examination. Psychol Assess 19(3):363–367

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Malik AI, Zai CC, Abu Z, Nowrouzi B, Beitchman JH (2012) The role of oxytocin and oxytocin receptor gene variants in childhood-onset aggression. Genes Brain Behav 11(5):545–551

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Manuck SB, Flory JD, Ferrell RE, Mann JJ, Muldoon MF (2000) A regulatory polymorphism of the monoamine oxidase-A gene may be associated with variability in aggression, impulsivity, and central nervous system serotonergic responsivity. Psychiatry Res 95(1):9–23

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marsh AA, Finger EC, Fowler KA, Jurkowitz ITN, Schechter JC, Yu HH, Pine DS, Blair RJR (2011a) Reduced amygdala-orbitofrontal connectivity during moral judgments in youths with disruptive behavior disorders and psychopathic traits. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 194(3):279–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marsh AA, Finger EC, Mitchell DGV, Reid ME, Sims C, Kosson DS, Towbin KE, Leibenluft E, Pine DS, Blair RJR (2008) Reduced amygdala response to fearful expressions in children and adolescents with callous-unemotional traits and disruptive behavior disorders. Am J Psychiatry 165(6):712–720

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marsh AA, Finger EC, Schechter JC, Jurkowitz ITN, Reid ME, Blair RJR (2011b) Adolescents with psychopathic traits report reductions in physiological responses to fear. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 52(8):834–841

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer-Lindenberg A, Buckholtz JW, Kolachana B, Hariri AR, Pezawas L, Blasi G, Wabnitz A, Honea R, Verchinski B, Callicott JH, Egan M, Mattay V, Weinberger DR (2006) Neural mechanisms of genetic risk for impulsivity and violence in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103(16):6269–6274

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell DGV (2011) The nexus between decision making and emotion regulation: a review of convergent neurocognitive substrates. Behav Brain Res 217(1):215–231

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Munafò MR, Brown SM, Hariri AR (2008) Serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) genotype and amygdala activation: a meta-analysis. Biol Psychiatry 63(9):852–857

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muñoz LC, Qualter P, Padgett G (2011) Empathy and bullying: exploring the influence of callous-unemotional traits. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 42(2):183–196

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Odgers CL, Caspi A, Broadbent JM, Dickson N, Hancox RJ, Harrington H, Poulton R, Sears MR, Thomson WM, Moffitt TE (2007) Prediction of differential adult health burden by conduct problem subtypes in males. Arch Gen Psychiatry 64(4):476–484

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pardini DA, Byrd AL (2012) Perceptions of aggressive conflicts and others’ distress in children with callous-unemotional traits: ‘I’ll show you who’s boss, even if you suffer and I get in trouble’. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 53(3):283–291

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pardini DA, Fite PJ (2010) Symptoms of conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and callous-unemotional traits as unique predictors of psychosocial maladjustment in boys: advancing an evidence base for DSM-V. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 49(11):1134–1144

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pardini DA, Lochman JE, Powell N (2007) The development of callous-unemotional traits and antisocial behavior in children: are there shared and/or unique predictors? J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 36(3):319–333

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pasalich DS, Dadds MR, Hawes DJ, Brennan J (2011) Do callous-unemotional traits moderate the relative importance of parental coercion versus warmth in child conduct problems? An observational study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 52(12):1308–1315

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Passamonti L, Fairchild G, Goodyer IM, Hurford G, Hagan CC, Rowe JB, Calder AJ (2010) Neural abnormalities in early-onset and adolescence-onset conduct disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry 67(7):729–738

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rijsdijsk FV, Viding E, De Brito S, Forgiarini M, Mechelli A, Jones AP, McCrory E (2010) Heritable variations in gray matter concentration as a potential endophenotype for psychopathic traits. Arch Gen Psychiatry 67(4):406–413

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rowe R, Costello EJ, Angold A, Copeland WE, Maughan B (2010) Developmental pathways in oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. J Abnorm Psychol 119(4):726–738

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rubia K (2011) “Cool” inferior frontostriatal dysfunction in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder versus “hot” ventromedial orbitofrontal-limbic dysfunction in conduct disorder: a review. Biol Psychiatry 69(12):69–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rubia K, Smith AB, Halari R, Matsukura F, Mohammad M, Taylor E, Brammer MJ (2009) Disorder-specific dissociation of orbitofrontal dysfunction in boys with pure conduct disorder during reward and ventrolateral prefrontal dysfunction in boys with pure ADHD during sustained attention. Am J Psychiatry 166(1):83–94

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sadeh N, Javdani S, Jackson JJ, Reynolds EK, Potenza MN, Gelernter J, Lejuez CW, Verona E (2010) Serotonin transporter gene associations with psychopathic traits in youth vary as a function of socioeconomic resources. J Abnorm Psychol 119(3):604–609

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sadeh N, Javdani S, Verona E (2012) Analysis of monoaminergic genes, childhood abuse, and dimensions of psychopathy. J Abnorm Psychol. Advance online publication

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott S, Knapp M, Henderson J, Maughan B (2001) Financial cost of social exclusion: follow up study of antisocial children into adulthood. BMJ 323:1–5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwenck C, Mergenthaler J, Keller K, Zech J, Salehi S, Taurines R, Romanos M, Schecklmann M, Schneider W, Warnke A, Freitag CM (2012) Empathy in children with autism and conduct disorder: group-specific profiles and developmental aspects. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 53(6):651–659

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sebastian CL, McCrory EJP, Cecil CAM, Lockwood PL, De Brito SA, Fontaine NMG, Viding E (2012) Neural responses to affective and cognitive theory of mind in children with conduct problems and varying levels of callous-unemotional traits. Arch Gen Psychiatry 69(8):814–822

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw P, Gogtay N, Rapoport J (2010) Childhood psychiatric disorders as anomalies in neurodevelopmental trajectories. Hum Brain Mapp 31(6):917–925

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sherer YC, Nickerson AB (2010) Anti-bullying practices in American schools: perspectives of school psychologists. Psychol Sch 47(3):217–229

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith PK, Pepler D, Rigby K (2004) Bullying in schools: how successful can interventions be? Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Sterzer P, Stadler C (2009) Neuroimaging of aggressive and violent behaviour in children and adolescents. Front Behav Neurosci 3:35

    Google Scholar 

  • Sumich A, Sarkar S, Hermens DF, Kelesidi K, Taylor E, Rubia K (2012) Electrophysiological correlates of CU traits show abnormal regressive maturation in adolescents with conduct problems. Pers Individ Differ 53(7):862–867

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sylvers PD, Brennan PA, Lilienfeld SO (2011) Psychopathic traits and preattentive threat processing in children: a novel test of the fearlessness hypothesis. Psychol Sci 22(10):1280–1287

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor J, Loney BR, Bobadilla L, Iacono WG, McGue M (2003) Genetic and environmental influences on psychopathy trait dimensions in a community sample of male twins. J Abnorm Child Psychol 31(6):633–645

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Viding E, Blair RJR, Moffitt TE, Plomin R (2005) Evidence for substantial genetic risk for psychopathy in 7-years-olds. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 46(6):592–597

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Viding E, Fontaine NMG, Oliver BR, Plomin R (2009) Negative parental discipline, conduct problems and callous-unemotional traits: monozygotic twin differences study. Br J Psychiatry 195(5):414–419

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Viding E, Frick PJ, Plomin R (2007) Aetiology of the relationship between callous-unemotional traits and conduct problems in childhood. Br J Psychiatry 49:33–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viding E, Hanscombe KB, Curtis CJC, Davis OSP, Meaburn EL, Plomin R (2010) In search of genes associated with risk for psychopathic tendencies in children: a two-stage genome-wide association study of pooled DNA. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 51(7):780–788

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Viding E, Jones AP (2008) Cognition to genes via the brain in the study of conduct disorder. Q J Exp Psychol 61(1):171–181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viding E, Jones AP, Frick PJ, Moffitt TE, Plomin R (2008) Heritability of antisocial behaviour at 9: do callous-unemotional traits matter? Dev Sci 11(1):17–22

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Viding E, McCrory EJ, Blakemore SJ, Frederickson N (2011) Behavioural problems and bullying at school: can cognitive neuroscience shed new light on an old problem? Trends Cognit Sci 15(7):289–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Viding E, Sebastian CL, Dadds MR, Lockwood PL, Cecil CAM, De Brito SA, McCrory EJ (2012) Amygdala response to pre-attentive masked fear in children with conduct problems: the role of callous-unemotional traits. Am J Psychiatry 169(10):1109–1116

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • White SF, Marsh AA, Fowler KA, Schechter JC, Adalio C, Pope K, Sinclair S, Pine DS, Blair RJR (2012) Reduced amygdala response in youths with disruptive behavior disorders and psychopathic traits: decreased emotional response versus increased top-down attention to nonemotional features. Am J Psychiatry 169(7):750–758

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Y, Raine A (2009) Prefrontal structural and functional brain imaging findings in antisocial, violent, and psychopathic individuals: a meta-analysis. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 174(2):81–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Essi Viding and Eamon McCrory received grant support from the Economic and Social Research Council (RES-062-23- 2202) when writing this chapter. Ana Seara-Cardoso received Ph.D. funding from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia; SFRH/BD/60279/2009).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1 6BT, UK

    Essi Viding, Ana Seara-Cardoso & Eamon J. McCrory

Authors
  1. Essi Viding
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ana Seara-Cardoso
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Eamon J. McCrory
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Essi Viding .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Moses Hunt Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry, Pharmacol & Neurosci, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA

    Klaus A. Miczek

  2. Dept of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany

    Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Viding, E., Seara-Cardoso, A., McCrory, E.J. (2013). Antisocial and Callous Behaviour in Children. In: Miczek, K., Meyer-Lindenberg, A. (eds) Neuroscience of Aggression. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, vol 17. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2013_266

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation