The Reciprocal Influence of Callous-Unemotional Traits, Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Parenting Practices in Preschoolers.

ABSTRACT

The present study investigates reciprocal associations between positive parenting, parental monitoring, CU traits, and ODD in children assessed at age 3 and again at age 6. Data were collected from a sample of preschoolers (N = 419; 51.58 % female) through diagnostic interviews and questionnaires answered by parents and teachers. Structural equation modeling revealed a bidirectional relationship between poor monitoring and ODD, with poor monitoring at age 3 predicting ODD at age 6 (ß = 0.11, p < 0.05), and ODD at age 3 predicting poor monitoring at age 6 (ß = 0.10, p < 0.05). While poor monitoring at age 3 predicted CU traits at age 6 (ß = 0.11, p < 0.05), CU traits at age 3 predicted positive parenting (ß = 0.09, p < 0.05) and ODD (ß = 0.13, p < 0.05) at age 6. Results have important implications for early targeted parenting interventions for CU traits and ODD.