Core Features of Callous-unemotional Traits: Network Analysis of the Inventory of Callous-unemotional Traits in Offender and Community Samples

Objective: Callous-unemotional (CU) traits have been added as a specifier labeled with "Limited Prosocial Emotion" used to diagnose conduct disorder in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. However, little is known about the core features of CU traits. Thus, this study aimed to identify the most central component of CU traits from a network perspective.

Method: Network analysis was applied to investigate the network structure of CU traits operationalized by the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits in a sample of juvenile offenders (M  = 17.14, N = 609) and community youths (M  = 10.82, N = 487).

Results: Our findings showed that items assessing callousness are the most central in the network across both samples. Also, the unemotional items were found to be located at a peripheral position, with fewer links apparent to callousness and uncaring items.

Conclusions: Callousness might be the key feature of CU traits in youths. Our findings further advance the general understanding about the core features of CU traits in clinical practice.