Understanding the Etiology of Externalizing Problems in Young Children: The Roles of Callous-Unemotional Traits and Irritability.

IF 9.2 1区医学 Q1 PEDIATRICS

Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Pub Date : 2025-01-15 DOI:10.1016/j.jaac.2025.01.005

I-Tzu Hung, Essi Viding, Argyris Stringaris, Jody M Ganiban, Kimberly J Saudino

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective: Callous-unemotional traits (CU), characterized as a lack of guilt and empathy, and irritability, a tendency to show anger and frustration, are 2 risk factors for externalizing behavioral problems. Externalizing problems, CU, and irritability are all heritable. However, there is a dearth of studies examining the genetic and environmental associations between the 3 domains. The present study partitioned joint and independent etiological pathways from CU and irritability to externalizing problems.

Method: The sample consisted of 614 pairs of 3-year-old twins from the Boston University Twin Project. Primary caregivers reported twins' externalizing problems, CU, and irritability using the Child Behavior Checklist. Biometric Cholesky models were used to estimate common and unique genetic and environmental variances among the 3 domains.

Results: There were common genetic, shared environmental and nonshared environmental factors operating across all 3 domains. In addition, there were unique genetic and nonshared environmental factors, independent of the common effects, linking externalizing problems and CU, and externalizing problems and irritability, respectively. There were also genetic and nonshared environmental influences unique to externalizing problems, independent of CU and irritability.

Conclusion: Common genetic as well as shared and nonshared environmental associations among externalizing problems, CU, and irritability suggest, to some extent, that etiological influences are common to all 3 constructs. However, distinct genetic and child-specific nonshared environmental links separately from CU and irritability to externalizing problems, reveals the heterogeneity of externalizing problems, and suggests that they should not be considered a unitary outcome.

Study preregistration information: Study Preregistration: Understanding the Etiology of Externalizing Problems in Young Children: The Roles of Callous-Unemotional Traits and Irritability; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2023.09.549.

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了解幼儿外化问题的病因：冷酷无情特质和易怒的作用。

目的：冷酷无情特征（CU），其特征为缺乏内疚感和同理心；易怒，表现出愤怒和沮丧的倾向；是外化行为问题的两个风险因素。外化问题、CU和易怒都是可遗传的。然而，缺乏对这三个结构域之间的遗传和环境关联的研究。本研究划分了从CU和易怒到外化问题的联合和独立的病因途径。方法：样本包括来自波士顿大学双胞胎项目的614对3岁双胞胎。主要照顾者使用儿童行为检查表报告双胞胎的外化问题、CU和易怒。使用生物识别Cholesky模型来估计3个域之间共同和独特的遗传和环境差异。结果：共有遗传因素、共有环境因素和非共有环境因素作用于所有3个域。此外，有独特的遗传和非共享的环境因素，独立于共同的影响，分别连接外部性问题和CU，外部性问题和易怒。外化问题也有遗传和非共享的环境影响，独立于CU和易怒。结论：外化问题、CU和易怒之间有共同的遗传、共有和非共有的环境关联，这表明在一定程度上，三种构念的病因影响是共同的。然而，不同的遗传和儿童特异性的非共享环境联系，单独从CU和易怒到外化问题，揭示了外化问题的异质性，并表明它们不应被视为单一的结果。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 医学-精神病学

CiteScore

21.00

自引率

1.50%

发文量

1383

审稿时长

53 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) is dedicated to advancing the field of child and adolescent psychiatry through the publication of original research and papers of theoretical, scientific, and clinical significance. Our primary focus is on the mental health of children, adolescents, and families. We welcome unpublished manuscripts that explore various perspectives, ranging from genetic, epidemiological, neurobiological, and psychopathological research, to cognitive, behavioral, psychodynamic, and other psychotherapeutic investigations. We also encourage submissions that delve into parent-child, interpersonal, and family research, as well as clinical and empirical studies conducted in inpatient, outpatient, consultation-liaison, and school-based settings. In addition to publishing research, we aim to promote the well-being of children and families by featuring scholarly papers on topics such as health policy, legislation, advocacy, culture, society, and service provision in relation to mental health. At JAACAP, we strive to foster collaboration and dialogue among researchers, clinicians, and policy-makers in order to enhance our understanding and approach to child and adolescent mental health.