Callous-unemotional traits and fearlessness: A cardiovascular psychophysiological perspective in two adolescent samples using virtual reality

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 803-815 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas D. Thomson ◽  
Steven M. Gillespie ◽  
Luna C.M. Centifanti
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Emotional Reactivity ◽  
Parasympathetic Nervous System ◽  
Sinus Arrhythmia ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
Unemotional Traits ◽  
Induction Study ◽  
Stratified Sample ◽  
3D Tv

AbstractThere has been a longstanding debate about the link between callous-unemotional traits and fearlessness. However, biological evidence for a relationship in adolescents is lacking. Using two adolescent samples, we measured emotional reactivity and cardiac measures of sympathetic (pre-ejection period) and parasympathetic (respiratory sinus arrhythmia) reactivity during 3D TV and virtual reality fear induction. Study 1 included 62 community adolescents from a stratified sample. Study 2 included 60 adolescents from Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties schools. Results were consistent across both studies. Adolescents with high callous-unemotional traits showed coactivation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Consistent with these results, youths with callous-unemotional traits self-reported that they felt more in control after the fear induction. Thus, in both samples, youth with callous-unemotional traits displayed a physiological and emotional profile suggesting they maintained control during fear induction. Therefore, it is proposed here that a shift in thinking of youth with callous-unemotional traits as fearless to youth with callous-unemotional traits are better able to manage fearful situations, may be more appropriate.

scholarly journals Emotional reactivity in referred youth with disruptive behavior disorders: The role of the callous-unemotional traits

2014 ◽  
Vol 220 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 426-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriele Masi ◽  
Annarita Milone ◽  
Simone Pisano ◽  
Francesca Lenzi ◽  
Pietro Muratori ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disruptive Behavior ◽  
Behavior Disorders ◽  
Emotional Reactivity ◽  
Disruptive Behavior Disorders ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
Unemotional Traits

scholarly journals Neural responses to fearful eyes in children with conduct problems and varying levels of callous–unemotional traits

2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. L. Sebastian ◽  
E. J. McCrory ◽  
M. R. Dadds ◽  
C. A. M. Cecil ◽  
P. L. Lockwood ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conduct Problems ◽  
Emotional Reactivity ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Neural Responses ◽  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
Unemotional Traits ◽  
Amygdala Response ◽  
Eye Region

BackgroundChildren with conduct problems (CP) are a heterogeneous group. Those with high levels of callous–unemotional traits (CP/HCU) appear emotionally under-reactive at behavioural and neural levels whereas those with low levels of CU traits (CP/LCU) appear emotionally over-reactive, compared with typically developing (TD) controls. Investigating the degree to which these patterns of emotional reactivity are malleable may have important translational implications. Instructing participants with CP/HCU to focus on the eyes of fearful faces (i.e. the most salient feature) can ameliorate their fear-recognition deficits, but it is unknown whether this is mediated by amygdala response. It is also unknown whether focusing on fearful eyes is associated with increased amygdala reactivity in CP/LCU.MethodFunctional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure neural responses to fearful and calm faces in children with CP/HCU, CP/LCU and TD controls (n = 17 per group). On half of trials participants looked for a blue dot anywhere within target faces; on the other half, participants were directed to focus on the eye region.ResultsReaction time (RT) data showed that CP/LCU were selectively slowed in the fear/eyes condition. For the same condition, CP/LCU also showed increased amygdala and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC)/orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) responses compared with TD controls. RT and amygdala response to fear/eyes were correlated in CP/LCU only. No effects of focusing on the eye region were observed in CP/HCU.ConclusionsThese data extend the evidence base suggesting that CU traits index meaningful heterogeneity in conduct problems. Focusing on regulating reactive emotional responses may be a fruitful strategy for children with CP/LCU.

Callous-unemotional Traits: Verhaltensprobleme und prosoziales Verhalten bei Kindergartenkindern

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ute Koglin ◽  
Franz Petermann
Keyword(s):  
Cu Traits ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Antisocial Process Screening Device ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
Prosoziales Verhalten ◽  
Unemotional Traits ◽  
Screening Device

Callous-unemotional Traits (CU-Traits) stellen in der emotionalen Entwicklung Abweichungen dar, wie mangelnde Empathie oder ein oberflächlicher Affekt und gehören zu den Kernmerkmalen der Psychopathy. Aus einer entwicklungspsychopathologischen Sichtweise wird in der vorliegenden Studie untersucht, ob diese affektiven Merkmale bereits bei Kindern im Kindergartenalter zu identifizieren sind und sie mit Verhaltensproblemen, besonders mit externalisierenden Verhaltensproblemen, im Zusammenhang stehen. Anhand einer Stichprobe mit 311 Kindern (durchschnittlich 5;0 Jahre) wird die Anzahl der Kinder mit Callous-unemotional-Traits (CU-Traits), erfasst mit dem „Antisocial Process Screening Device“ (APSD), identifiziert. Es werden quer- und längsschnittliche Zusammenhange zwischen CU-Traits und Erlebens- und Verhaltensprobleme (SDQ) dargestellt. 23,3 % der Kinder weisen erhöhte Werte auf der Skala CU-Traits auf. Jüngere Kinder erreichen höhere Werte, so dass normative Entwicklungseinflüsse nahe gelegt werden. Es zeigen sich eindeutige Beziehungen zwischen CU-Traits und Verhaltensproblemen sowie negative Korrelationen zu prosozialem Verhalten. In der längsschnittlichen Analyse über ein Jahr erweisen sich CU-Traits als Prädiktor für Verhaltensprobleme. Ein spezifischer Zusammenhang zwischen aggressivem Verhalten und CU-Traits kann nicht aufgezeigt werden. CU-Traits stehen besonders mit einem Defizit prosozialen Verhaltens in Verbindung. Es wird diskutiert, ob CU-Traits bei jungen Kindern dazu geeignet sind, aggressive Kinder frühzeitig zu identifizieren.

Adolescents with Callous Unemotional Traits and their Roles in Group Crime and Non-Detected Offending

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Catherine Thornton ◽  
Paul J. Frick ◽  
James Vance Ray ◽  
Elizabeth Cauffman ◽  
Laurence Steinberg
Keyword(s):  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
Unemotional Traits

Callous-Unemotional Traits in Adolescents With Substance Use Disorders

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dustin L. Kahoud ◽  
Raymond A. Digiuseppe ◽  
Jessica Renz ◽  
Alex Stratis
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Callous Unemotional ◽  
Callous Unemotional Traits ◽  
Unemotional Traits
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document