Puberty Timing and Adolescent Antisocial Behavior: The Role of Callous-Unemotional Traits, Sensation Seeking, and...

Deviant puberty timing has been shown preceding antisocial behavior in adolescence. Within this association, the aim of the present study was to consider the co-occurrence and potential interaction of callous-unemotional (CU) traits, sensation seeking, and parental hostility. In a community based high-risk cohort of adolescents (N = 522; mean age = 14.6; SD = 0.73) puberty timing, level of callous-unemotional traits, sensation seeking, and parental hostility were tested in a cross-sectional design for each sex separately with self-reported delinquent, rule-breaking behavior, and aggressive behavior as outcomes. Additionally, moderation analyses were performed on the associations found. Sex-specific effects were found for different types of puberty timing measurement. This study adds to the knowledge of separate and mutual effects of puberty timing and callous-unemotional traits. Pubertal timing is a relevant aspect of mental health functioning, and its assessment may contribute to identifying youngsters at risk of developing antisocial behavior problems.