The treatment of conduct problems in children with callous-unemotional traits

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of callous-unemotional (CU) traits on treatment outcomes and processes in a 10-week behavioural parent training intervention with young boys referred for conduct problems (n=55, mean age 6.29 years). The study represents the first investigation of this risk factor in an early intervention trial, and extends the body of research examining the predictive utility of childhood CU traits in relation to subsequent antisocial behaviour. As predicted, CU traits were associated with greater conduct problems at pre-treatment, and these traits were related to poor treatment outcomes at 6-month follow-up even when controlling for baseline conduct problem severity. Consistent with the low levels of fearful inhibitions characteristic of the CU temperament, the behaviour of boys with high CU traits was less responsive to time-out discipline than that of boys without CU traits. Boys with high levels of CU traits also reacted with less affect to this discipline. The effects of CU traits on treatment outcomes and processes were not related to differences in treatment implementation by parents. These findings provide evidence that conduct problems in boys with CU traits are less responsive to changes in parenting processes than those of boys without these traits, and present important implications for the role of child temperament in the treatment of conduct problems.