Abstract
A Callous-Unemotional trait specifier (termed 'Limited Prosocial Emotions') was added to the diagnosis of conduct disorder in DSM-5. The Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU) is a comprehensive measure of these traits assessing three distinct, yet correlated dimensions--Callousness, Uncaring, and Unemotional--all thought to reflect the general Callous-Unemotional construct. The present study was the first to examine the degree to which the aetiology of these dimensions is shared v. independent. Parent-reported ICU data from 5092 16-year-old twin pairs from the Twins Early Development Study were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis. Multivariate genetic modelling was applied to the best-fitting structure. A general-specific structure, retaining a general factor and two uncorrelated specific factors (Callousness-Uncaring, Unemotional), provided the best fit to the data. The general factor was substantially heritable (h2 = 0.58, 95% CI 0.51-0.65). Unusually, shared environmental influences were also important in accounting for this general factor (c2 = 0.26, 95% CI 0.22-0.31), in addition to non-shared environmental influences. The Unemotional dimension appeared phenotypically and genetically distinct as shown by the substantial loadings of unemotional items on a separate dimension and a low genetic correlation between Unemotional and Callousness-Uncaring. A general factor, indicative of a shared phenotypic structure across the dimensions of the ICU was under substantial common genetic and more modest shared environment influences. Our findings also suggest that the relevance of the Unemotional dimension as part of a comprehensive assessment of CU traits should be investigated further.
Highlights
Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits refer to a lack of guilt, disregard for others’ feelings and shallow display of emotions; characteristics that are the hallmark of psychopathy in adults (Cleckley, 1976; Hare, 2003) and index youth at risk of developing psychopathy and persistent antisocial behaviour (Frick et al 2014)
CU traits characterize a subgroup of antisocial youth who show a severe, aggressive, and stable pattern of conduct problems (Christian et al 1997; Frick et al 2003, 2005; Vincent et al 2003; Frick & Dickens, 2006)
We further examined the data to determine whether particular items contributed to suboptimal model fit
Summary
Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits refer to a lack of guilt, disregard for others’ feelings and shallow display of emotions; characteristics that are the hallmark of psychopathy in adults (Cleckley, 1976; Hare, 2003) and index youth at risk of developing psychopathy and persistent antisocial behaviour (Frick et al 2014). CU traits characterize a subgroup of antisocial youth who show a severe, aggressive, and stable pattern of conduct problems (Christian et al 1997; Frick et al 2003, 2005; Vincent et al 2003; Frick & Dickens, 2006) This pattern holds for forensic, clinical and community samples (Frick et al 2003; Kruh et al 2005). Based on this extensive body of research, as well as findings of different aetiology and neurocognitive correlates of conduct problems in children with CU traits (Viding & McCrory, 2012), a CU specifier (termed Limited Prosocial Emotions) has been added to the diagnosis of conduct disorder in DSM-5 (APA, 2013). The present study was the first to examine the degree to which the aetiology of these dimensions is shared v. independent
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