BackgroundMany studies show that both callous‐unemotional (CU) traits (e.g., low empathy, lack of guilt) and cognitive difficulties increase risk for externalizing psychopathology across development. However, other work suggests that some aggression (e.g., relational, proactive) may rely on intact cognitive function, which could vary based on the presence of CU traits. Moreover, no prior research has adequately accounted for common risk factors shared by CU traits, cognitive difficulties, and externalizing problems, which confounds conclusions that can be drawn about their purported relationships. The current study addressed these knowledge gaps by leveraging rigorous propensity matching methods to isolate associations between CU traits and different dimensions of cognitive function and externalizing problems.MethodsAssociations between CU traits, cognitive functioning, and externalizing outcomes were tested within dimensional (n = 11,868) and propensity‐matched group‐based (n = 1,224) models using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study®, with rigorous statistical control for shared sociodemographic risk factors. Cross‐sectional outcomes were parent‐reported symptoms of conduct disorder (CD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Longitudinal outcomes were child‐reported overt and relational aggression.ResultsCU traits were uniquely related to more parent‐reported CD, ODD, ADHD symptoms, as well as more child‐reported aggressive behaviors. Effects of cognitive difficulties were domain specific and were not consistent across dimensional and propensity matched models. There was minimal evidence for divergent associations between CU traits and externalizing outcomes as a function of cognition (i.e., no moderation).ConclusionsRigorous control for sociodemographic factors within propensity‐matched models establish CU traits as a robust and unique risk factor for externalizing psychopathology, over and above difficulties with cognitive functioning.

中文翻译：

---

来自 ABCD 研究的倾向匹配样本中的冷酷无情特征、认知功能和外化问题


背景许多研究表明，冷酷无情 （CU） 特征（例如，低同理心、无罪感）和认知困难都会增加在整个发展过程中外化精神病理学的风险。然而，其他研究表明，一些攻击性（例如，关系性、主动性）可能依赖于完整的认知功能，这可能会根据 CU 特征的存在而变化。此外，先前的研究没有充分解释 CU 特征、认知困难和外化问题共有的常见风险因素，这混淆了可以得出的关于它们所声称的关系的结论。目前的研究通过利用严格的倾向匹配方法来隔离 CU 特征与认知功能和外化问题的不同维度之间的关联，从而解决了这些知识差距。方法使用来自青少年脑认知发展研究®的数据，在维度 （n = 11,868） 和倾向匹配的基于组 （n = 1,224） 的模型中测试了 CU 特征、认知功能和外化结果之间的关联，并对共享的社会人口学风险因素进行了严格的统计控制。横断面结局是父母报告的品行障碍 （CD） 、对立违抗障碍 （ODD） 和注意力缺陷多动障碍 （ADHD） 的症状。纵向结局是儿童报告的显性和关系性攻击。结果CU 特征与更多父母报告的 CD、ODD、ADHD 症状以及更多儿童报告的攻击性行为独特相关。认知困难的影响是特定于领域的，并且在维度和倾向匹配模型中不一致。几乎没有证据表明 CU 特征与作为认知函数的外化结果之间存在不同的关联（即，无审核）。结论倾向匹配模型中对社会人口学因素的严格控制将 CU 特征确立为将精神病理学外化的强大而独特的风险因素，超越了认知功能的困难。