Callous–Unemotional Traits and Intelligence in Children with Externalizing Behavioral Problems
Research on the association between callous–unemotional (CU) traits and intelligence yielded contradictory results. Moreover, several previous studies focused on global intelligence scores or verbal vs. nonverbal/performance abilities usually evaluated with short/abbreviated instruments. The current...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Children |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/11/1768 |
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| author | Pamela Fantozzi Pietro Muratori Valentina Levantini Irene Mammarella Gabriele Masi Annarita Milone Alessia Petrucci Federica Ricci Annalisa Tacchi Chiara Cristofani Elena Valente |
| author_facet | Pamela Fantozzi Pietro Muratori Valentina Levantini Irene Mammarella Gabriele Masi Annarita Milone Alessia Petrucci Federica Ricci Annalisa Tacchi Chiara Cristofani Elena Valente |
| author_sort | Pamela Fantozzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Research on the association between callous–unemotional (CU) traits and intelligence yielded contradictory results. Moreover, several previous studies focused on global intelligence scores or verbal vs. nonverbal/performance abilities usually evaluated with short/abbreviated instruments. The current study builds on these previous works and explores the link between CU traits and intelligence using the full version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—4th Edition (WISC-IV), which provides four different verbal and nonverbal abilities scores. This guarantees a more detailed evaluation of children’s intelligence and its relation to CU traits. The sample included children (<i>N</i> = 149; age 6–14 years old) with severe behavioral problems. Clinicians administered the WISC-IV, and parents completed questionnaires evaluating the child’s externalizing problems and CU traits. Findings showed that CU traits were associated with lower verbal comprehension scores after also controlling for gender, age, externalizing problems, and the other WISC-IV indexes. In addition, CU traits and externalizing problems did not interact in predicting the WISC-IV indexes, and there were no significant differences in the WISC-IV indexes between children with CU traits and high vs. low externalizing problems. The current study suggests the relevance of assessing and addressing verbal abilities in children with behavioral problems and CU traits. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:24:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-05fbcb9615c64b70b6524fbcc1438d76 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:24:04Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Children |
| spelling | doaj.art-05fbcb9615c64b70b6524fbcc1438d762023-11-24T08:00:42ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672022-11-01911176810.3390/children9111768Callous–Unemotional Traits and Intelligence in Children with Externalizing Behavioral ProblemsPamela Fantozzi0Pietro Muratori1Valentina Levantini2Irene Mammarella3Gabriele Masi4Annarita Milone5Alessia Petrucci6Federica Ricci7Annalisa Tacchi8Chiara Cristofani9Elena Valente10IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, ItalyIRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, ItalyDepartment of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, ItalyDepartment of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, 35122 Padua, ItalyIRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, ItalyIRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, ItalyDepartment of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, 35122 Padua, ItalyIRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, ItalyIRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, ItalyIRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, ItalyIRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, ItalyResearch on the association between callous–unemotional (CU) traits and intelligence yielded contradictory results. Moreover, several previous studies focused on global intelligence scores or verbal vs. nonverbal/performance abilities usually evaluated with short/abbreviated instruments. The current study builds on these previous works and explores the link between CU traits and intelligence using the full version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—4th Edition (WISC-IV), which provides four different verbal and nonverbal abilities scores. This guarantees a more detailed evaluation of children’s intelligence and its relation to CU traits. The sample included children (<i>N</i> = 149; age 6–14 years old) with severe behavioral problems. Clinicians administered the WISC-IV, and parents completed questionnaires evaluating the child’s externalizing problems and CU traits. Findings showed that CU traits were associated with lower verbal comprehension scores after also controlling for gender, age, externalizing problems, and the other WISC-IV indexes. In addition, CU traits and externalizing problems did not interact in predicting the WISC-IV indexes, and there were no significant differences in the WISC-IV indexes between children with CU traits and high vs. low externalizing problems. The current study suggests the relevance of assessing and addressing verbal abilities in children with behavioral problems and CU traits.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/11/1768verbal abilitiescallous–unemotionalconduct problemsverbal comprehensionADHDoppositional defiant disorder |
| spellingShingle | Pamela Fantozzi Pietro Muratori Valentina Levantini Irene Mammarella Gabriele Masi Annarita Milone Alessia Petrucci Federica Ricci Annalisa Tacchi Chiara Cristofani Elena Valente Callous–Unemotional Traits and Intelligence in Children with Externalizing Behavioral Problems Children verbal abilities callous–unemotional conduct problems verbal comprehension ADHD oppositional defiant disorder |
| title | Callous–Unemotional Traits and Intelligence in Children with Externalizing Behavioral Problems |
| title_full | Callous–Unemotional Traits and Intelligence in Children with Externalizing Behavioral Problems |
| title_fullStr | Callous–Unemotional Traits and Intelligence in Children with Externalizing Behavioral Problems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Callous–Unemotional Traits and Intelligence in Children with Externalizing Behavioral Problems |
| title_short | Callous–Unemotional Traits and Intelligence in Children with Externalizing Behavioral Problems |
| title_sort | callous unemotional traits and intelligence in children with externalizing behavioral problems |
| topic | verbal abilities callous–unemotional conduct problems verbal comprehension ADHD oppositional defiant disorder |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/11/1768 |
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