Callous-Unemotional Behaviors: Growth Curves Across Early Childhood

• In Event: 1-097 - Elucidating the Correlates, Course, and Consequences of Early Callous-Unemotional Traits: A Developmental Science Perspective

Integrative Statement

Introduction
Research demonstrates that callous-unemotional (CU) behaviors are moderately stable in childhood and adolescence (e.g., Frick et al, 2014), even as early as toddlerhood (Flom & Saudino, 2016). Less is known about the developmental trajectories of CU behaviors, though variation in CU growth trajectories in middle childhood and adolescence has been demonstrated (e.g., Fontaine et al, 2010; Henry et al, 2018; Muratori et al, 2016; Waller et al, 2018). This study extends this work to early childhood, when these behaviors are emerging and growth trajectories are unknown. Furthermore, we propose examining the underlying genetic and environmental etiology of these trajectories.
Methods
The sample comprised 309 same-sex twin pairs (MZ=123, DZ=186) assessed within a month of their 3rd, 4th, and 5th birthdays. Behavior problems were assessed via parent ratings on the Child Behavior Checklist 1½-5 (CBCL1½-5). Following Willoughby et al. (2011), a 5-item screening measure from the CBCL 1½-5 was used to assess CU behaviors.
Results and Discussion
Consistent with previous research, CU behaviors were moderately related across early childhood (r CU3 & CU4=.48; r CU3 & CU5=.42; r CU4 & CU5=.50). For phenotypic analyses, a clustered latent growth model was used to account for twins nested within a family, and provided a good fit to the data (χ2=.84, df=1, p=.36; RMSEA=.00 90% CIs=.00-.10; CFI=1.00). Significant variation in the intercept (I=.04, p<.0001) indicated individual differences in starting levels of CU behaviors at age 3. Variation in the slope (S=.01, p<.043) demonstrated that the pattern in CU growth was not the same for everyone. As indicated by the correlation between the two (r=-.36, p<.01), children who started off with higher scores changed less over time. In other words, more problematic children have more stable CU behaviors. Given the substantial variation in both the intercept and slope, behavioral genetic analyses examining the underlying genetic and environmental contributions to this variation will also be explored. Few studies have taken this approach (Fontaine et al, 2010; Henry et al, 2018), and all have been later in development when etiologic patterns may differ.

Authors

• Megan Flom, Boston University
  Presenting Author

• Jody Ganiban, George Washington University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kimberly Saudino, Boston University
  Non-Presenting Author