TY - JOUR
T1 - Callous–Unemotional Traits and Disorganized Attachment
T2 - Links with Disruptive Behaviors in Toddlers
AU - Kohlhoff, Jane
AU - Mahmood, Dina
AU - Kimonis, Eva
AU - Hawes, David J.
AU - Morgan, Sue
AU - Egan, Ryan
AU - Niec, Larissa N.
AU - Eapen, Valsamma
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was funded by the Liverpool Catholic Club.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2020/6/1
Y1 - 2020/6/1
N2 - Children with callous–unemotional (CU) traits and children with disorganized attachment patterns are at heightened risk of poor psychological outcomes but little is known about the overlap between these constructs and their unique contributions to conduct problems in early childhood. This study examined associations between CU traits, disorganized attachment, and conduct problem (CP) severity in a sample of clinic-referred toddlers with behavioral problems. Mother–child dyads (n = 56; mean child age 19.50 months) completed parent-report questionnaires, a dyadic play session, and the Strange Situation Procedure to assess child attachment pattern. Significant positive associations were found between CU traits and disorganized attachment, independent of CP severity. CU traits but not disorganized attachment predicted CP severity. Results indicate that among toddlers with clinic-referred disruptive behavior problems, there are clear links between CU traits and attachment disorganization. Of the two constructs, however, CU traits appear to be most salient in the expression of CPs.
AB - Children with callous–unemotional (CU) traits and children with disorganized attachment patterns are at heightened risk of poor psychological outcomes but little is known about the overlap between these constructs and their unique contributions to conduct problems in early childhood. This study examined associations between CU traits, disorganized attachment, and conduct problem (CP) severity in a sample of clinic-referred toddlers with behavioral problems. Mother–child dyads (n = 56; mean child age 19.50 months) completed parent-report questionnaires, a dyadic play session, and the Strange Situation Procedure to assess child attachment pattern. Significant positive associations were found between CU traits and disorganized attachment, independent of CP severity. CU traits but not disorganized attachment predicted CP severity. Results indicate that among toddlers with clinic-referred disruptive behavior problems, there are clear links between CU traits and attachment disorganization. Of the two constructs, however, CU traits appear to be most salient in the expression of CPs.
KW - Callous–unemotional
KW - Conduct problems
KW - Disorganized attachment
KW - Parent–child relationship
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85077252528&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10578-019-00951-z
DO - 10.1007/s10578-019-00951-z
M3 - Article
C2 - 31894435
AN - SCOPUS:85077252528
SN - 0009-398X
VL - 51
SP - 399
EP - 406
JO - Child Psychiatry and Human Development
JF - Child Psychiatry and Human Development
IS - 3
ER -
