Samuel W. Hawes

Psychometric properties of the inventory of callous-unemotional traits short version (ICU-12) among detained female juvenile offenders and community youths*

ABSTRACT The presence of callous-unemotional (CU) traits delineates a subgroup of male youth with severe conduct problems and antisocial behavior. To date however, existing research into these features among females is markedly limited. Drawing on 377 female adolescents (103 selected from forensic settings and 274 selected from school settings) from Portugal, the current study is the first to simultaneously examine the psychometric properties of the 12-item shortened version of the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU-12) in incarcerated and community female youth. Results provide support for the construct validity and reliability of the ICU-12 among this unique sample. Findings from this study also reveal evidence of convergent and discriminant validity with a number of theoretically relevant constructs (e.g. psychopathic features, aggression, and substance use). Clinical implications for using the ICU-12 with females are discussed.

Modulation of reward-related neural activation on sensation seeking across development

ABSTRACT Sensation seeking is a personality construct associated with an increased propensity for engaging in risk‐taking. Associations with deleterious outcomes ranging from mental health impairments to increased mortality rates highlight important public health concerns related to this construct. Although some have suggested that increased neural responsivity to reward within the ventral striatum (e.g., nucleus accumbens) may drive sensation seeking behaviors, few studies have examined the neural mechanisms associated with stable individual differences in sensation seeking across development. To address this issue, the current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the association between neural responding to reward and stable patterns of sensation seeking across a three‐year follow‐up period among healthy adolescents and young adults (N = 139). Results indicated that during early adolescence (˜ages 10–12), increased reactivity to reward within the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) was associated with lower levels of sensation seeking across a three‐year follow‐up. In middle adolescence (˜ages 12–16), there was no evidence of a relationship between NAcc reactivity and sensation seeking. However, during the transition from late adolescence into adulthood (˜ages 17–25), heightened reward‐related reactivity in the NAcc was linked to increased sensation seeking. Findings suggest that the neural mechanisms underlying individual differences in trait‐like levels of sensation seeking change from early to late adolescence. HIGHLIGHTSThe influence of neural mechanisms on sensation seeking changes across development.NAcc reactivity at earlier ages (10–12 yrs.) was linked to decreased sensation seeking.NAcc reactivity in later development (17–25 yrs.) was linked to increased sensation seeking.

Boys with conduct problems and callous-unemotional traits: Neural response to reward and punishment and associations with treatment response

Abnormalities in reward and punishment processing are implicated in the development of conduct problems (CP), particularly among youth with callous-unemotional (CU) traits. However, no studies have examined whether CP children with high versus low CU traits exhibit differences in the neural response to reward and punishment. A clinic-referred sample of CP boys with high versus low CU traits (ages 8–11; n = 37) and healthy controls (HC; n = 27) completed a fMRI task assessing reward and punishment processing. CP boys also completed a randomized control trial examining the effectiveness of an empirically-supported intervention (i.e., Stop-Now-And-Plan; SNAP). Primary analyses examined pre-treatment differences in neural activation to reward and punishment, and exploratory analyses assessed whether these differences predicted treatment outcome. Results demonstrated associations between CP and reduced amygdala activation to punishment independent of age, race, IQ and co-occurring ADHD and internalizing symptoms. CU traits were not associated with reward or punishment processing after accounting for covariates and no differences were found between CP boys with high versus low CU traits. While boys assigned to SNAP showed a greater reduction in CP, differences in neural activation were not associated with treatment response. Findings suggest that reduced sensitivity to punishment is associated with early-onset CP in boys regardless of the level of CU traits.

Psychometric Properties of Two Short Versions of the Inventory of Callous–Unemotional Traits Among Incarcerated Youth:

Accumulating evidence shows callous–unemotional (CU) traits to delineate a subgroup of youth with unique etiological underpinnings to their conduct problems. Due to its inclusion as a conduct disorder specifier in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5), research that evaluates the psychometric properties of measures used to assess this construct is essential. The present study contributes to this area of investigation by examining two recently developed brief versions (10- and 12-item) of the Inventory of Callous–Unemotional Traits (ICU) among a Portuguese sample of incarcerated male juvenile offenders (N = 221). Each of these shortened versions demonstrated evidence in terms of factor structure, internal consistency, and convergent/discriminant validity with theoretically meaningful constructs. In line with prior research, there was evidence of unique correlations between separate ICU subscales and several outcomes of interest. Study findings indicate that the two shortened versions of the ICU, and particularly the ICU-12, may offer researchers and clinicians a relatively brief and psychometrically sound means of assessing CU traits.

The association between adolescent cannabis use and anxiety: A parallel process analysis

INTRODUCTION Associations between anxiety symptoms and cannabis use have been previously explored, yet the directionality of these associations remains highly debatable. The present study aims to prospectively examine patterns of cannabis use and anxiety during adolescence focusing on their co-development and bidirectional influences. METHODS Adolescents (n=250) of predominantly Hispanic ethnicity, aged 14-17 at baseline, exposed to drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes completed three (bi-annual) assessments across a 1-year period. Latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) and parallel process growth curves were conducted to examine potential associations in the joint development of anxiety and cannabis use. RESULTS Our results suggest that, during adolescence, early cannabis use has a greater influence on prospective reports of anxiety, than vice versa. Specifically, adolescents exhibiting higher initial levels of cannabis use displayed more persisting self-reported anxiety across time, as compared to those with less frequent use (b=0.28, p=0.024). In contrast, early levels of anxiety were not found to influence rates of change in cannabis use. These analyses considered concurrent depression, alcohol, and nicotine use. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that prevention and targeted intervention programs for cannabis use in adolescence would benefit from anxiety management strategies; in order to reduce subsequent anxiety associated with cannabis use. Future studies should continue to employ longitudinal designs across larger time periods and aim to replicate these findings with more diverse samples.

A Comparison of the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI)-Triarchic Scales and the YPI in a Sample of Justice-Involved Youth

The Triarchic model (Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009) posits that psychopathy consists of three elements: Boldness, Meanness, and Disinhibition. Drislane et al. (2015) recently derived scales from the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI; Andershed, Kerr, Stattin, & Levander, 2002) to assess these traits. The initial validation efforts appeared promising, but researchers have yet to evaluate these scales among justice-involved youth. The current study examines the validity of the YPI-Triarchic scales in an archival sample of 928 male adolescent offenders and tests whether the new scales provide information incremental to the original YPI. The YPI-Triarchic scales were strongly correlated with original YPI scales (rs = .56-.96), and some associations were contrary to predictions and previous findings about the Triarchic model (e.g., YPI-Boldness was not inversely related to symptomatology). Thus, caution is warranted when attempting to study the Triarchic model with the YPI-Triarchic scales.

Adolescent Cannabis Use and Conduct Problems: the Mediating Influence of Callous-Unemotional Traits

Cannabis use has been linked to an increased risk of engaging in conduct problem behaviors. However, little existing research has considered intervening processes and shared risk factors that may contribute to this association. The current investigation examines whether callous-unemotional traits, which have shown associations with adolescent cannabis use and conduct problem development, may exhibit a mediating influence on this relationship. Using a longitudinal cohort of youth ( n  = 390) at increased risk for escalating in their use of cannabis, we found that baseline cannabis use (age ~ 15) was associated with higher levels of trait-like conduct problems (ages ~ 16 and 17), even after controlling for important autoregressive and cross-lagged effects, along with a number of other shared risk factors (e.g., co-occurring substance use, age, sex). Findings also revealed that callous-unemotional traits partially mediated this relationship, with the hypothesized model accounting for approximately one third of the report [ variance in the conduct problem outcome ( R 2  = .34). These results indicate that callous-unemotional traits may play an important intermediary role in the association between cannabis use and the development of problem behaviors.

Educational and Employment Patterns in Serious Adolescent Offenders With Mental Health Disorders: The Importance of Educational Attainment

This study examines employment and educational outcomes for justice-involved adolescents with and without mental health disorders in the Pathways to Desistance study. We examine the patterns of education and employment and the effects of several factors, including the presence of a mental health disorder, on these positive outcomes. Three findings emerge: (a) youth with mental health problems have a relatively high number of other criminogenic risk factors, (b) education and employment patterns do not differ by disorder status, and (c) the presence of a mental health disorder is not independently linked to poorer employment outcomes, but educational achievement is. These analyses provide information needed to target services for these adolescents in the juvenile justice system, who are at high risk for poor educational and employment outcomes. Results indicate a need for increased emphasis on higher levels of academic attainment as a way to promote positive employment outcomes in these youth.

Transition to drug co-use among adolescent cannabis users: The role of decision-making and mental health

BACKGROUND Co-use of cannabis and drugs other than cannabis (DOTC) influences the risk of experiencing cannabis disorders. Accordingly, we explored whether speed of transition to drug co-use, the number of DOTC used, and/or being an experimental cannabis-only user, a regular cannabis-only user, or a regular cannabis user who co-uses DOTC (i.e., cannabis-plus user) were associated with decision-making (DM), mental health disorder symptoms, or cannabis use-related characteristics. METHODS We analyzed baseline data from a sub-sample of 266 adolescent (ages 14 to 16) cannabis users (CU) participating in an ongoing longitudinal study. Assessments included semi-structured interviews, self-report questionnaires, and measures of drug use, DM (measured via the Iowa Gambling Task), mental health disorders, and cannabis use-related problems. RESULTS Endorsing a larger number of mood disorders symptoms was associated with being a regular cannabis-plus user rather than a regular cannabis-only user (AOR = 1.08, C.I.95% 1.01, 1.15). Poorer DM was associated with a faster transition to co-use, such that for each one unit increase in DM performance, the years to onset of drug co-use increased by 1% (p = 0.032). Endorsing a larger number of cannabis use-related problems was positively associated with endorsing a larger number of DOTC used (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS This study provides new evidence on the process of drug co-use among CU. Specifically, mood disorder symptoms were associated with use of DOTC among regular CU. Furthermore, poorer DM was associated with a faster transition to drug co-use. Poorer DM and mood disorder symptoms may aggravate or accelerate the onset of adverse consequences among adolescent CU.