Predictive validity of callous–unemotional traits measured in early adolescence with respect to multiple antisocial outcomes.

Abstract

This study investigated the predictive validity of youth callous-unemotional (CU) traits, as measured in early adolescence (grade 7) by the Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD; Frick & Hare, 2001), in a longitudinal sample (N = 754). Antisocial outcomes, assessed in adolescence and early adulthood, included self-reported general delinquency from 7th grade through 2-years post-high school; self-reported serious crimes through 2-years post-high school, juvenile and adult arrest records through 1-year post-high school; and antisocial personality disorder symptoms and diagnosis at 2-years post-high school. CU traits measured in 7th grade were highly predictive of five of the six antisocial outcomes: general delinquency, juvenile and adult arrests, and early adult antisocial personality disorder criterion count and diagnosis, over and above prior and concurrent conduct problem behavior (i.e., criterion counts of oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder) and ADHD (criterion count). Incorporating a CU traits specifier for those with a diagnosis of conduct disorder improved the positive prediction of antisocial outcomes, with a very low false positive rate. There was minimal evidence of moderation by sex, race, or urban/rural status. Urban/rural status moderated one finding, with being from an urban area associated with stronger relations between CU traits and adult arrests. Findings clearly support the inclusion of CU traits as a specifier for the diagnosis of CD, at least with respect to predictive validity.

Incremental and Predictive Validity of the Antisocial Process Screening Device in a Community Sample of Male and Female Ethnic Minority and Caucasian Youth

“…Although previous studies have suggested sex differences with respect to the relationship between CU traits and offending (e.g., Colins et al, 2014;Vaughn, Newhill, DeLisi, Beaver, & Howard, 2008), no evidence for this association was found in the current study. Further, in line with previous studies of community samples (Kimonis, Frick, Fazekas, et al, 2006;McMahon et al, 2010), sex did not moderate the relationship between offending and the APSD total or NAR scores. However, results suggested sex differences in the relationship between IMP and violent offending.…”

“…Combined observer ratings of CU traits were predictive of proactive aggression (Kimonis, Frick, Fazekas, & Loney, 2006) and have been integral in identifying youth who were more likely to engage in severe and persistent patterns of delinquency (Frick, Stickle, Dandreaux, Farrell, & Kimonis, 2005). When evaluating observer-rated CU traits in isolation from the other subscales, it appears there is incremental value above other risk factors in community populations (Kimonis, Frick, Boris, et al, 2006;McMahon, Witkiewitz, & Kotler, 2010). Even fewer studies have been conducted on the entire APSD and its subscales in community samples.…”

“…Several authors have commented on the importance of the investigation of the potential moderating role of demographic characteristics on the association between youth psychopathic features and antisocial outcomes (e.g., McMahon et al, 2010). The APSD factor structure was not reproduced in an all-female offender sample (Colins, Bijttebier, Broekaert, & Andershed, 2014), and an Item Response Theory analysis suggested that the APSD subscales provided differing information for females in comparison to males (i.e., the CU factor provided more information for females than males; Dillard, Salekin, Barker, & Grime, 2013).…”

“…For instance, although the association between physical aggression and CU traits was equal across sex, studies have found that the relationship between CU traits and relational aggression was stronger for adjudicated females (Stickle, Marini, & Thomas, 2012) and non-referred female youth (Marsee et al, 2006). Nonetheless, several community studies have reported that sex does not moderate the relationship between APSD subscales and antisocial outcomes (Kimonis, Frick, Fazekas, et al, 2006;McMahon et al, 2010). While more research is needed, it appears that the effect of sex on the relationship between the APSD subscales and antisocial behavior is mixed in both offender and community samples.…”

“…When considering the APSD, there have been few studies examining the moderating effect of ethnicity on its predictive utility. Nevertheless, the initial findings have suggested that the relationship between APSD subscales and a variety of outcomes have not differed across ethnicity (e.g., McMahon et al, 2010;Thornton, Frick, Crapanzano, & Terranova, 2013).…”