Jill Portnoy1, Naixue Cui2, Adrian Raine3, Annabelle Frazier4, Anna S Rudo-Hutt5, Jianghong Liu6. 1. School of Criminology and Justice Studies, University of Massachusetts Lowell, United States. 2. School of Nursing, Shandong University, China. 3. Departments of Criminology, Psychiatry, and Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, United States. 4. Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Lowell, United States. 5. Child Mind Institute, United States. 6. School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, United States. Electronic address: jhliu@nursing.upenn.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Research into callous-unemotional (CU) traits often focuses exclusively on biological risk factors without integrating social factors. This gap exists despite a growing body of research showing that the social environment may actually impact physiological functioning, which could in turn affect behavior. OBJECTIVE: The current study addresses this limitation by examining physical maltreatment and heart rate stress reactivity as potential risk factors for CU traits. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: This research was conducted in a community sample of Chinese youth (mean age = 11.83 years, 44.3 % female). METHODS: Each child separately reported frequency of physical maltreatment experiences by his or her mother and father over the past 12 months. Children completed a self-report measure of CU traits. RESULTS: Frequency of maternal physical maltreatment was associated with uncaring traits in females, but not in males. Paternal physical maltreatment was associated with uncaring traits in both males and females and with callous traits in females only. While paternal physical maltreatment was associated with lower heart rate reactivity in females, maternal physical maltreatment was associated with higher heart rate reactivity in females. CONCLUSION: Findings provide mixed support for a potential physiological pathway through which child maltreatment may impact callous traits and provide a multilevel, biosocial lens through which to understand CU traits.
BACKGROUND: Research into callous-unemotional (CU) traits often focuses exclusively on biological risk factors without integrating social factors. This gap exists despite a growing body of research showing that the social environment may actually impact physiological functioning, which could in turn affect behavior. OBJECTIVE: The current study addresses this limitation by examining physical maltreatment and heart rate stress reactivity as potential risk factors for CU traits. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: This research was conducted in a community sample of Chinese youth (mean age = 11.83 years, 44.3 % female). METHODS: Each child separately reported frequency of physical maltreatment experiences by his or her mother and father over the past 12 months. Children completed a self-report measure of CU traits. RESULTS: Frequency of maternal physical maltreatment was associated with uncaring traits in females, but not in males. Paternal physical maltreatment was associated with uncaring traits in both males and females and with callous traits in females only. While paternal physical maltreatment was associated with lower heart rate reactivity in females, maternal physical maltreatment was associated with higher heart rate reactivity in females. CONCLUSION: Findings provide mixed support for a potential physiological pathway through which child maltreatment may impact callous traits and provide a multilevel, biosocial lens through which to understand CU traits.
Authors: Jianghong Liu; Siyuan Cao; Zehang Chen; Adrian Raine; Alexandra Hanlon; Yuexian Ai; Guoping Zhou; Chonghuai Yan; Patrick W Leung; Linda McCauley; Jennifer Pinto-Martin Journal: Int J Epidemiol Date: 2015-08-31 Impact factor: 7.196