The Associations between Callous-unemotional Traits and Symptoms of Conduct Problems, Hyperactivity and Emotional Problems: A Study of Adolescent Twins Screened for Neurodevelopmental Problems

Marie Claire Saunders,Clara Hellner,Nathalie M G Fontaine,Sebastian Lundström,Paul Lichtenstein,Henrik Anckarsäter

doi:10.1007/s10802-018-0439-1

Abstract

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits (e.g., lack of empathy, lack of guilt, shallow affect) are associated with severe and persistent conduct problems in youth. There is evidence showing a substantial genetic correlation between CU traits and conduct problems. The etiological associations between CU traits and other psychopathological symptoms, including symptoms of hyperactivity and emotional problems (such as anxiety and depression symptoms), have been less explored. To examine the etiological associations between CU traits and symptoms of conduct problems, hyperactivity and emotional problems separately through the use of a twin design. Participants were same-sex twin pairs (n = 426 twins; 42% female; 43% MZ; age = 15) drawn from the Child and Adolescents Twin Study in Sweden, a longitudinal study of twins born in Sweden. The sample was mainly composed of children who screenpositive on neurodevelopmental problems/mental health problems or at-risk children (i.e., screen-negative children considered to be genetically at-risk siblings). We used self-report measures of CU traits, conduct problems, hyperactivity and emotional problems. Model-fitting analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling. We found a strong positive genetic correlation between CU traits and conduct problems and a moderate genetic correlation between CU traits and hyperactivity. We also found a relatively modest, but significant negative genetic correlation between CU traits and emotional problems. Using a sample of adolescent twins screened for neurodevelopmental problems, we replicated previous findings that showed a strong genetic correlation between CU traits and conduct problems and we extended research by examining further the etiological associations between CU traits and symptoms of hyperactivity and emotional problems.

Highlights

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits are associated with severe and persistent conduct problems in youth
The current study, employing a twin model-fitting approach, aimed to 1) replicate findings on the etiology of CU traits and their etiological association with conduct problems in a sample of adolescent twins screened for neurodevelopmental problems, and 2) extend research by examining further the etiological associations between CU traits and symptoms of hyperactivity and emotional problems separately
Square root transformations were applied to the conduct problems and emotional problems scales to correct for skewness and kurtosis

Summary

Introduction

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits (e.g., lack of empathy, lack of guilt, shallow affect) are associated with severe and persistent conduct problems in youth. Using a sample of adolescent twins screened for neurodevelopmental problems, we replicated previous findings that showed a strong genetic correlation between CU traits and conduct problems and we extended research by examining further the etiological associations between CU traits and symptoms of hyperactivity and emotional problems. Findings showed moderate to strong heritability of CU traits in youth, especially in boys (Fontaine et al 2010), with estimates indicating that 40–78% of the variation in CU traits across the population was due to genetic contributions (Viding et al 2013; Viding and McCrory 2012) These studies have suggested that non-shared environmental contributions were important to explain variation in CU traits. On the other hand, shared environmental contributions to CU traits were reported in only a small number of studies (Fontaine et al 2010; Viding et al 2007), they may be especially important for a small subset of girls with stable and high levels of CU traits (Fontaine et al 2010)

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