Conduct Problems and Callous-Unemotional Traits in Adolescence: Social Cognitive and Personality Features

Abstract

Despite over 20 years of research into conduct problems (CP) and callous-unemotional (CU) traits in adolescence, little is known about processes that might be relevant for shaping the social environments of these individuals. The current thesis addressed this gap in research by investigating four domains thought to relate to social functioning: prosocial behaviour [Chapter 2], social information use [Chapter 3], personality [Chapter 4], and theory of mind (ToM) [Chapter 5]. Research presented in Chapter 2 showed that adolescents with CP and high levels of CU traits (CP/HCU) demonstrated especially low prosocial behaviour relative to adolescents with CP and lower levels of these traits (CP/LCU) and typically developing (TD) adolescents. Although both groups with CP displayed reduced prosocial intentions compared to TD adolescents, adolescents with CP/HCU engaged in especially reduced prosocial actions relative to other groups. Findings outlined in Chapter 3 indicated that adolescents with CP/HCU and CP/LCU showed no difference in degree of social information use relative to TD adolescents. However, adolescents with CP/LCU appeared less cooperative than other groups when using social information. In Chapter 4, personality correlates of CP/CU were examined in a community sample through the development of a new six-factor adolescent personality instrument that measures Honesty-Humility as well as traditional dimensions of personality. Including Honesty-Humility improved prediction of both CP and CU in regression models, indicating the potential importance of this factor for understanding social functioning of individuals high in CP and CU. In Chapter 5, the relationship between ToM and CU traits was investigated in a community sample of adolescents. Higher CU traits were associated with better mind representation, which we assessed using a new experimental adolescent measure. Together, these findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of CP and CU in adolescence, and further underline the importance of acknowledging heterogeneity in adolescent CP