Maternal psychopathic traits prospectively predict youth callous-unemotional traits

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits identify a subgroup of youth with conduct disorder (CD) at heightened risk for persistent antisocial behavior and poor long-term outcomes. Although parental psychopathic traits have been associated with offspring CU traits, less is known about whether specific psychopathic facets uniquely predict adolescent CU trajectories beyond baseline CU traits, particularly among youth diagnosed with CD.

The present study examined whether maternal psychopathic traits were prospectively associated with higher youth CU traits over a 12-month period in a sample of adolescents diagnosed with CD. The sample included 99 youth-caregiver dyads (N = 198 individuals). Youth were between 13 and 17 years of age (M = 15.52, SD = 1.31). Maternal psychopathic traits were assessed using the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale-Short Form (SRP-SF), including total psychopathy and interpersonal, affective, lifestyle, and antisocial facets. Youth CU traits were assessed using the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU) at baseline and at 12-month follow-up. Analyses controlled for baseline CU traits, youth age, sex, race, and maternal age.

Baseline CU traits were associated with higher CU traits at 12-month follow-up (r = .39). Maternal affective psychopathic traits were prospectively associated with higher adolescent CU traits, whereas interpersonal, lifestyle, and antisocial psychopathic traits were not significant predictors. Associations between maternal affective psychopathic traits and adolescent CU traits were stronger among girls than boys.

Maternal affective psychopathic traits were prospectively associated with adolescent CU traits beyond baseline CU traits. These findings suggest that caregiver personality characteristics, particularly affective psychopathic traits, represent important familial risk markers associated with adolescent CU trajectories and highlight the value of examining caregiver personality characteristics in future developmental research.