The significance of limited prosocial emotions among externalizing disorders in children

Limited Prosocial Emotion (LPE) specifier of conduct disorder (CD) includes lack of remorse or guilt, callousness/lack of empathy, unconcern about performance, and shallow/deficient affect. Given the relatively recent inclusion of the LPE specifier in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, fundamental information is still unknown about LPE, such as how common the different domains are, how much they overlap with one another, whether they predict unique variance from each other, and the potential for the LPE specifier as a transdiagnostic facet of externalizing problems. Caregivers (n = 1,50) of children (Mage = 8.42, SD = 2.31) completed a questionnaire assessing individual LPE domains and measures of externalizing symptoms. Results showed that LPE specifier domains were highly related but separable. All LPEs were uniquely associated with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), CD, and overall impairment after controlling for other LPE items, child sex, and ADHD symptoms. Being unconcerned about performance, emotionally manipulative, and having shallow/deficient affect were uniquely associated with ADHD while controlling for ODD and CD symptomatology. Our findings fit with the historical conceptualization of LPE as a unidimensional construct and contributes to the growing evidence of the potential utility of assessing LPE across externalizing disorders in children. Future research should look to replicate and extend our findings in clinical samples of youth.

This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00787-020-01696-0

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Work Title The significance of limited prosocial emotions among externalizing disorders in children
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Open Access
Creators
  1. Peter Castagna
  2. Dara E. Babinski
  3. James G. Waxmonsky
  4. Daniel A. Waschbusch
Keyword
  1. Limited prosocial emotions
  2. Callous-unemotional
  3. Conduct disorder
  4. Externalizing disorders
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Publication Date January 3, 2021
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-020-01696-0
Deposited November 21, 2023

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Version 1
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  • Created
  • Added Castagna_Babinski_Waxmonsky__Waschbusch__2022__accepted_version_20201123-1.pdf
  • Added Creator Peter Castagna
  • Added Creator Dara E. Babinski
  • Added Creator James G. Waxmonsky
  • Added Creator Daniel A. Waschbusch
  • Published
  • Updated Keyword Show Changes
    Keyword
    • Limited prosocial emotions, Callous-unemotional, Conduct disorder, Externalizing disorders
  • Updated