Callous-Unemotional Traits and Conduct Disorder Symptoms as Prospective Risk Factors for Adolescent Sexual Activity

Abstract

Conduct disorder (CD) has been shown to increase risk for adolescent sexual activity and pregnancy. Despite increasing evidence underscoring callous-unemotional (CU) traits as a marker for youth with CD prone to especially poor outcomes, researchers have yet to explore whether CU traits confer additional risk of early sexual intercourse, unprotected sex, and pregnancy. The Developmental Pathways Project sample, including 471 ethnically diverse 6th-grade boys and girls followed into 12th grade, was used to examine whether CU traits and CD symptoms in 6th grade uniquely and/or synergistically predicted having sexual intercourse by age 13 as well as unprotected sex and pregnancy by 12th grade. Parent-rated CU traits and CD symptoms interacted to predict young adolescents having sexual intercourse, such that youth with elevated CU traits and CD symptoms in 6th grade were more likely to reporting having sex by age 13 than those with low CU traits and/or low CD symptoms. Elevated CD symptoms, but not CU traits, uniquely increased risk of pregnancy by 12th grade. Neither CU traits nor CD symptoms predicted engagement in unprotected sex in 12th grade. Our findings indicate that adolescents with conduct problems and CU traits are especially at risk for early sexual intercourse. Conversely, elevated CU traits do not appear to increase risk of unprotected sex or pregnancy among young adolescents with conduct problems. Research is needed to replicate these findings and to explore mechanisms underlying the association between CU traits, CD symptoms, and early adolescent sexual activity.