ABSTRACT
Conduct problems (CP) in childhood and adolescence have a significant impact on the individual, family, and community. To improve treatment for CP, there is a need to improve the understanding of the developmental pathways leading to CP in boys and girls. Prior research has linked the child's fearlessness and callous-unemotional (CU) traits, as well as experiences of parental warmth and punitive parenting, to CP. However, few studies have tested the interplay of these factors in contributing to future CP development. The present study aimed to test the InterFear model, which suggests that fearlessness in early childhood leads to CP through an indirect pathway involving low positive parenting, high negative/punitive parenting, and callous-unemotional (CU) traits. The sample included 2467 Spanish children (48.1% girls; Mage = 4.25; SD = 0.91), followed up across a five-year period. Besides a direct association between fearlessness in early childhood and future CP, the results found an indirect pathway whereby fearlessness reduces positive parenting and increases punitive parenting, which contributes to the development of CU traits and sets the stage for CP in later childhood. The specific indirect effect from fearlessness to CP via CU traits accounted for most of the variance, suggesting the existence of a temperamental pathway independent of parental variables. Further, two additional indirect pathways, exclusive of fearlessness, were identified, which started with low parental warmth and positive parenting, leading to CP via CU traits. These findings support the InterFear model, demonstrating multiple pathways to CP with the involvement of fearlessness, parenting practices, and CU traits. This model might play a pivotal role in the development of targeted prevention and intervention strategies for CP.
ABSTRACT
Children and adolescents with psychopathic traits show deficits in emotion recognition, but there is no consensus as to the extent of their generalizability or about the variables that may be moderating the process. The present Systematic Review brings together the existing scientific corpus on the subject and attempts to answer these questions through an exhaustive review of the existing literature according to PRISMA 2020 statement. Results confirmed the existence of pervasive deficits in emotion recognition and, more specifically, on distress emotions (e.g., fear), a deficit that transcends all modalities of emotion presentation and all emotional stimuli used. Moreover, they supported the key role of attention to relevant areas that provide emotional cues (e.g., eye-region) and point out differences according to the presence of disruptive behavior and based on the psychopathy dimension examined. This evidence could advance the current knowledge on developmental models of psychopathic traits. Yet, homogenization of the conditions of research in this area should be prioritized to be able to draw more robust and generalizable conclusions.
Subject(s)
Emotions , Recognition, Psychology , Adolescent , Child , Humans , Antisocial Personality Disorder/psychologyABSTRACT
Conduct problems (CP) constitute a major field for child clinical psychology, in terms of not only prevalence, but also developmental, social, andclinical relevance. This study carried out an umbrella review of meta-analyses on the efficacy of treatment/indicated prevention of child CP (meanage range up to 12 years). Following a registered protocol, several databases (i.e., Web of Science, PsycINFO, PROSPERO, and The CochraneLibrary) were searched for meta-analyses published from January 2002 to March 2022. Nine meta-analytic publications met the required criteria, andthe main characteristics and findings of the studies were systematically described. Weighted effect sizes (ESs) were calculated through RStudioprogram. Analyses of heterogeneity, publication bias, quality (AMSTAR-2), and credibility were also conducted. Results indicate that parent traininghas been the most studied intervention, with a weighted ES of d = -0.49 (95% CI -.67 to -.32). The reviewed studies identified several moderatorsfor the efficacy of parent training, including individual (severity of CP), family (financial disadvantage), and intervention (delivery format) characteristics. Results from child-centered play therapy were also analyzed, d = -.34 (95% CI -.40 to -.28), but the reduced number of meta-analyses andthe weakness detected by quality assessment suggest the need of cautiously considering the pooled effects. In general, evidence seems to besuggestive of the efficacy of treatment of CP, particularly for parent training. Nevertheless, efficacy seems to be moderate, heterogeneity indexesare high, and quality assessments of meta-analyses are often suboptimal. This study suggests several avenues to strengthen knowledge in this field. (AU)
Los problemas de conducta (PC) son un foco prioritario de atención en la psicología clínica infantil. Este estudio presenta una revisión umbrella de meta-análisis sobre la eficacia del tratamiento/prevención indicada de los PC infantiles (rango de edad media hasta 12 años). Siguiendo un protocoloregistrado, se buscaron meta-análisis (enero 2002 a marzo 2022) en Web of Science, PsycINFO, PROSPERO y The Cochrane Library. Nuevemeta-análisis cumplieron con los criterios requeridos y sus características y hallazgos fueron descritos sistemáticamente; además, con RStudiose calcularon los tamaños del efecto (TEs) ponderados. Se realizaron análisis de heterogeneidad, sesgo de publicación, calidad (AMSTAR-2) ycredibilidad. El entrenamiento parental fue la intervención más estudiada, con un TE medio ponderado de d = -.49 (IC del 95%: -.67 a -.32), y seidentificaron diversos moderadores de eficacia, incluyendo características individuales (gravedad de los PC), familiares (desventaja económica) yde intervención (formato de administración). También se analizaron los resultados de la terapia de juego centrada en el niño, d = -.34 (IC del 95%:-.40 a -.28), pero el reducido número de meta-análisis y la debilidad detectada por la evaluación de la calidad sugieren la necesidad de considerarcon cautela los efectos agrupados. En general, la evidencia es sugestiva de eficacia del tratamiento de los PC, específicamente del entrenamientoparental. No obstante, la eficacia parece ser moderada, los índices de heterogeneidad elevados y las evaluaciones de calidad de los meta-análisisno suelen ser óptimas. Este estudio sugiere varias vías para reforzar el conocimiento en este campo. (AU)