Trajectories of Callous-Unemotional Traits in Childhood Predict Different Forms of Peer Victimization in Adolescence

Nathalie M G Fontaine; Ken B Hanscombe; Mark T Berg; Eamon J McCrory; Essi Viding

doi:10.1080/15374416.2015.1105139

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Trajectories of Callous-Unemotional Traits in Childhood Predict Different Forms of Peer Victimization in Adolescence

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Trajectories of Callous-Unemotional Traits in Childhood Predict Different Forms of Peer Victimization in Adolescence

Nathalie M G Fontaine, Ken B Hanscombe, Mark T Berg, Eamon J McCrory and Essi Viding

Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology, Vol.47(3), pp.458-466

05/2018

DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2015.1105139

PMCID: PMC6444182

PMID: 26890671

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/6444182View

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Abstract

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits (e.g., lack of empathy and guilt) differentiate a group of children at particularly high risk for engaging in aggressive behavior, notably bullying. However, little is known about whether youths with CU traits are at risk for being victimized by their peers. We examined the associations between trajectories of CU traits in childhood (between 7 and 12 years old) and peer victimization in adolescence (14 years old). The participants were drawn from the Twins Early Development Study, a longitudinal population-based study of twins born in England and in Wales. The trajectories of CU traits (i.e., stable high, increasing, decreasing and stable low) were identified through general growth mixture modeling. Four forms of peer victimization were considered: physical victimization, verbal victimization, social manipulation, and attacks on property. We found that youths with stable high levels, increasing levels, and decreasing levels of CU traits in childhood had higher levels of physical victimization in adolescence, not explained by other predictors at age 7 (e.g., conduct problems). Youths with increasing levels of CU traits, compared with the ones with stable low levels, also had higher levels of verbal victimization, social manipulation, and attacks on property. Our findings highlight the importance of distinct trajectories of CU traits in accounting for the experience of different forms of peer victimization. Youths with CU traits may benefit from bullying prevention programs, as they are likely to be the targets of peer victimization.

Emotions - physiology

Crime Victims - psychology

Humans

Peer Group

Female

Male

Child

Details

Title: Subtitle: Trajectories of Callous-Unemotional Traits in Childhood Predict Different Forms of Peer Victimization in Adolescence
Creators: Nathalie M G Fontaine - a School of Criminology , University of Montreal
Ken B Hanscombe - b Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics , King's College London
Mark T Berg - c Department of Sociology , University of Iowa
Eamon J McCrory - d Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London
Essi Viding - e Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology, Vol.47(3), pp.458-466
DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2015.1105139
PMID: 26890671
PMCID: PMC6444182
NLM abbreviation: J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol
ISSN: 1537-4416
eISSN: 1537-4424
Publisher: England
Grant note: R01 HD059215 / NICHD NIH HHS G0901245 / Medical Research Council G0500079 / Medical Research Council R01 HD044454 / NICHD NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 05/2018
Academic Unit: Sociology and Criminology; Center for Social Science Innovation; Injury Prevention Research Center; Public Policy Center (Archive)
Record Identifier: 9984002404002771

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