Abstract
We tested predictors of persistence in conduct problems for children with and without callous-unemotional (CU) traits. Participants were 79 children of an original 98 children recruited from a community-wide screening to oversample children with conduct problems and to ensure equal numbers of children high and low on CU traits. The sample was reassessed at four yearly intervals and the 79 children (81%) were those with data at all four assessments. Children within each conduct problem group were divided into those with more and less stable patterns of conduct problems based on structured interviews with parent and child. Stability in conduct problems for children without CU traits was more strongly related to level of impulsivity and socioeconomic status, whereas children high on CU traits showed more stable conduct problems if they experienced higher rates of life stressors.
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Frick, P.J., Dantagnan, A.L. Predicting the Stability of Conduct Problems in Children with and Without Callous-Unemotional Traits. J Child Fam Stud 14, 469–485 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-005-7183-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-005-7183-1