To Örebro University

Several assessment tools have been developed to assess psychopathic traits in childhood and adolescence. However, knowledge on the continuity and change in psychopathic traits remains limited, especially because of uncertainties regarding the capacity of these tools to assess these traits using a common metric across development. To fill this void, this study tested the measurement invariance of the Child Problematic Traits Inventory (CPTI), a teacher-rated scale designed to assess psychopathic traits from ages 3 to 12 years. Data were drawn from a Swedish population-based sample of 2,121 children followed longitudinally across 8 years from early to late childhood. Results from confirmatory factor analyses and multigroup invariance analyses showed an excellent fit of the theoretically proposed three-factor model of the CPTI and supported the scalar invariance hypothesis of this model across sexes at all assessment time points. Longitudinal invariance analyses further supported the hypothesis of scalar invariance of the three-factor model across the study design, hence suggesting that dimension scores can be reliably compared across this period. These results substantially add to previous psychometric evaluations of the CPTI by suggesting that assessments of psychopathic traits using the CPTI confer a metric that is comparable both across sexes and from early childhood to late childhood. Implications for future longitudinal studies aimed at understanding the developmental origins of these traits are discussed. 

Children and adolescents display varying trajectories of conduct problems (CP), but it is unclear if these CP trajectories can be distinguished by childhood antecedents and adolescent outcomes. Therefore, we tested if child- and environmental-level risk factors predict CP trajectory membership and if CP trajectories are associated with developmental outcomes in adolescence. Six waves of data (teacher-, parent- and child self-reports) were used from 2,045 children. General growth mixture modeling identified four CP trajectories (waves 2-5): childhood-persistent, childhood-limited, adolescent-onset, and low CP. Relative to the adolescent-onset CP trajectory, wave 1 child- and environmental-level risk factors increased the likelihood of being in the childhood-persistent CP trajectory, though all but two (callous-unemotional traits and non-intact family) antecedents lost significance after controlling for wave 1 conduct problems. Few significant differences emerged in risk factors when comparing childhood-persistent and childhood-limited CP trajectories. Individuals identified in the adolescent-onset and childhood-persistent CP trajectories faced a higher risk for later maladjustment than those in the childhood-limited CP trajectory, whereas the adolescent-onset and childhood-persistent CP trajectories only differed in three out of 13 outcomes. Overall, findings indicate that individuals with CP are at risk for later maladjustment, but predicting the childhood-persistent trajectory of CP in young children is difficult.

Childhood aggression and peer victimization are associated not only with each other but also with future delinquency. However, existing literature focuses almost entirely on aggression and peer victimization in middle childhood or adolescence, making it unclear whether such associations can be found in early childhood. The current study aimed to identify latent profiles of children based on early childhood aggression and peer victimization, and to examine whether profiles were associated with delinquent outcomes (theft, violence, and vandalism) in adolescence. We used longitudinal data from 2,113 participants (53.4% boys) between the ages of 3 and 5 years at baseline (M = 3.86, SD = 0.85). We applied a three-step latent profile analysis on teacher and parent measures of aggression and peer victimization and used self-reports about delinquent behaviors from ages 14 to 16 years as outcome measures. We accounted for potential clustering effects of preschool classes and adjusted analyses for age, sex, and socio-economic status. We identified four profiles of children: non-involved (68.7%), victims (16.3%), aggressors (13.7%), and aggressive victims (1.3%), but found no significant associations between latent profiles and delinquency. As nearly one-third of participants were identified as early childhood victims, aggressors, or aggressive victims, we highlighted the importance of addressing early childhood aggression and peer victimization since the risk for negative development (i.e. later criminality or social adjustment issues) has been shown in prior research.

Psychopathic traits in childhood have been revealed as potential identifiers of risk, being predictive of later forms of behavioral maladjustment. Yet, it is still under debate how psychopathic traits in children should be best conceptualized and which are the core dimensions for construct definition and prediction. The present study aims to examine the structure of psychopathic traits in childhood, and its predictive value, by using a combination of traditional factor analysis and more recent network-based methods. Data on psychopathic traits, as measured by the Child Problematic Traits Inventory (CPTI), were collected in a large sample of children (n = 2454; 48.2% girls), aged 3 to 6 at the onset of the study (Mage = 4.26; SD = 0.91), who were followed-up one and two years later using parent- and teacher-reports. Results showed that psychopathic traits measured via CPTI are best conceptualized as five latent factors encompassing grandiosity, deceitfulness, callousness, impulsivity and need of stimulation, a result that converged across informants and time. Callousness and grandiosity emerged as central traits using network analysis of parent-reports, while deceitfulness was most central using teacher-reports. Finally, callousness, impulsivity and deceitfulness emerged as the best predictors of concurrent, prospective and stable conduct problems. These results provide a refined structure of psychopathic traits in children that better accounts for the core elements of the construct. Additional theoretical and practical implications will be discussed in terms of assessment, diagnostic classification and tailored prevention/intervention.

Conduct problems (CP) in childhood and adolescence have a significant impact on the individual, family, and community. To improve treatment for CP, there is a need to improve the understanding of the developmental pathways leading to CP in boys and girls. Prior research has linked the child's fearlessness and callous-unemotional (CU) traits, as well as experiences of parental warmth and punitive parenting, to CP. However, few studies have tested the interplay of these factors in contributing to future CP development. The present study aimed to test the InterFear model, which suggests that fearlessness in early childhood leads to CP through an indirect pathway involving low positive parenting, high negative/punitive parenting, and callous-unemotional (CU) traits. The sample included 2467 Spanish children (48.1% girls; Mage = 4.25; SD = 0.91), followed up across a five-year period. Besides a direct association between fearlessness in early childhood and future CP, the results found an indirect pathway whereby fearlessness reduces positive parenting and increases punitive parenting, which contributes to the development of CU traits and sets the stage for CP in later childhood. The specific indirect effect from fearlessness to CP via CU traits accounted for most of the variance, suggesting the existence of a temperamental pathway independent of parental variables. Further, two additional indirect pathways, exclusive of fearlessness, were identified, which started with low parental warmth and positive parenting, leading to CP via CU traits. These findings support the InterFear model, demonstrating multiple pathways to CP with the involvement of fearlessness, parenting practices, and CU traits. This model might play a pivotal role in the development of targeted prevention and intervention strategies for CP.

OBJECTIVE: To better describe and treat children with conduct problems (CP), grandiose-manipulative and daring-impulsive traits are proposed for subtyping CP, instead of using only a callous-unemotional specifier. However, the acclaimed benefits of having multiple specifiers for CP remain largely untested and therefore highly speculative. To fill this gap, this study tested longitudinal relations between these 3 specifiers and developmental outcomes in childhood and adolescence, independent of early childhood CP.

METHOD: Longitudinal data from 2 community studies were used. Teacher ratings were used to measure CP and the specifiers in 3- to 5-year-olds from Sweden (n = 2,064) and Spain (n = 2,055). Developmental outcomes were assessed by multiple informants (ie, teachers, parents, and children) 1 to 8 years later. RESULTS: Early childhood CP were predictive of all outcomes. Callous-unemotional traits predicted low levels of social competence and prosocial behavior, independent of CP (and age, gender, and socioeconomic status). Grandiose-manipulative and daring-impulsive traits were predictive of aggression and violent delinquency, respectively, independent of CP, but also of higher levels of prosocial behavior or social competence.

CONCLUSION: The 3 specifiers are predictive of different outcomes, independent of CP, which is thought to form the basis for developing specifiers for CP. Findings tentatively challenge the centrality of callous-unemotional traits for subtyping CP, but it is premature to conclude that grandiose-manipulative and daring-impulsive specifiers are needed in future revisions of DSM and ICD. Efforts to systematically evaluate the utility of these specifiers should be welcomed to inform ongoing debates on this matter.

Introduction: The Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI) is one of the most commonly used scales for measuring psychopathic traits from childhood to adulthood.

Objective: The aim of the current research was to scrutinize the psychometric properties of the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory-Short Version (YPI-S) translated into French.

Method: The factor structure, internal consistency, and convergent validity of YPI-S scores were examined in a sample of 757 emerging adults from the general population in France (aged 18–20 years; 54.43% women).

Results: Results of confirmatory factor analyses support the proposed 3-factor structure (observed in children and adolescents) among both men and women. The YPI-S total score and the 3 factor (Grandiose-Manipulative, Callous-Unemotional, and Impulsive-Irresponsible) scores were internally consistent. Correlations with external criterion variables of interest, including the Dark Triad construct and its components (psychopathy, machiavellianism and narcissism), reactive and proactive aggression, and delinquency, support the convergent validity of the interpretation of YPI-S scores. Finally, findings also suggest that YPI-S works consistently for both men and women.

Conclusion: In addition to demonstrating the psychometric qualities of the French version of the YPI-S, this research provides further evidences for the value of this brief and time-effective self-report instrument in the study of psychopathic traits across different developmental phases, and especially during the transition to adulthood. 

The Child Problematic Traits Inventory (CPTI) enables the assessment of psychopathy dimensions as early as age three. The current study employs a multi-informant approach (i.e., fathers, mothers, and teachers) to further investigate the unique associations between psychopathy dimensions, as measured by the CPTI, with theoretically relevant constructs of interest, such as conduct problems, oppositionality, empathy, and social relations, in early childhood (N = 1283, M age = 6.35). Although associations with conduct, aggressive, and oppositional behaviours differed in strength, our findings supported the importance of all psychopathy dimensions in predicting behavioral problems. Our findings also suggested a unique association of the callous-unemotional dimension with affective empathy. Furthermore, stronger associations were identified between the callous-unemotional and impulsive need for stimulation dimensions with social problems (e.g., peer and family relations) compared to the grandiose-deceitful dimension. Current findings can inform prevention and intervention efforts aiming to alter the development of psychopathic traits.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We examined the extent to which externalizing behaviors such as violent and nonviolent criminal behavior, and substance use disorders (SUD) are associate with the onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and any dementia in prior generations.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A nationwide cohort of 2,463,033 individuals born between 1973 and 1997 (index persons) were linked to their biological relatives (parents, grandparents, and uncles/aunts) using Swedish national registers. Cox regression models were used to examine the association between each measure of externalizing behaviors with AD and any dementia in each of the relative cohorts.

RESULTS: Parents of index persons with externalizing behaviors had an increased risk for AD compared with parents of index persons without externalizing behaviors-nonviolent criminal behavior: Hazard Ratio (HR) = 1.16, 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) 1.10-1.22; violent criminal behavior: HR = 1.32 (95% CI: 1.19-1.45); SUD: HR = 1.28 (95% CI: 1.17, 1.40). The associations attenuated with decreasing familial relatedness. Relatives of individuals with externalizing behaviors compared with relatives of individuals without, showed an increased risk of having both early-onset and late-onset AD but the strength of the associations was higher for early-onset AD than for late-onset AD. A similar pattern of results was observed for the association with any dementia.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Externalizing behaviors are associated with AD and any dementia in prior generations. The associations were stronger for parents in comparison with grandparents and uncles/aunts, suggesting shared familial risks between conditions. This warrants further studies examining common genetic and family-wide environmental factors that may contribute to identifying common underlying mechanisms to the development of externalizing behaviors, AD, and any dementia.

This study investigates whether the longitudinal association between fearlessness and conduct problems (CP) is mediated by warm and harsh parenting, parent-child conflict, anxiety, and callous-unemotional (CU) traits. The constructs under investigation were assessed at five different time points, spanning a period of eight years. A multi-informant approach was followed, collecting data from parents and teachers (N = 2,121; 47% girls). The structural equation model pointed to both direct and indirect pathways between fearlessness and CP. Specifically, findings suggested that Time 1 fearlessness (age 3-5 years) increased the likelihood of Time 2 (age 4-6 years) harsh parenting and Time 3 (age 5-7 years) parent-child conflict. Further, fearlessness was positively associated with Time 4 (age 8-10) callous-unemotional traits and Time 5 (age 11-13) CP. The total indirect effect from fearlessness to CP through these variables was significant, although the specific indirect effect from fearlessness to CU traits to CP accounted for most of the variance. Warm parenting and anxiety did not mediate the association between fearlessness and CP. In addition to the identified pathways connecting fearlessness to CP, findings pointed to the existence of multiple developmental pathways to future CP, as well as gender differences in longitudinal associations.