The role of Callous-Unemotional traits in the treatment of youth with behaviour problems

Project title

The role of Callous-Unemotional traits in the treatment of youth with behavior problems

Project manager

Dagfinn Mørkrid Thøgersen

Project description

Background:
The Conduct Disorder (CD) sub-type, "with Limited Prosocial Emotions", is often termed CU-traits in research. It refers to children showing lack of empathy, lack of remorse and guilt, and shallow affect. Typically, these children have poorer prognosis and treatment response than other CD-diagnosed children.

Objectives:
Investigate the role of CU-traits in youth with behavioural problems receiving Functional Family Therapy (FFT), through:

• Assessing the validity of Danish and Norwegian translations of the Inventory of CU-traits;

• Assessing treatment prediction, moderation and mediation effects of CU-traits

Methods:

• Randomized controlled trial in Norway with 6 months of FFT or other available treatment. Follow-up 6 and 18 months;

• Pre-post evaluation of FFT in Denmark

Perspectives:
This project will shed light on the role of CU-traits in youth on the treatment for behaviour problems. It has the potential to provide support for a screening instrument for high-risk youth and help guide treatment planning.

Start date and expected end date

01.09.2017 - 31.08.2020

Main supervisor

Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark

Co-supervisors

Associate Professor Mette Elmose Andersen, Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark;
Gunnar Bjørnebekk: The Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development (NUBU), University of Oslo

The project is carried out under

CH:LD Research Group

Collaborators

The Norwegian Center for Child Behaivoral Development (NUBU);
The Danish Centre of Applied Social Science (VIVE)

Funding

Tryg Fonden and The Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development (NUBU)

Keywords

Callous-Unemotional-traits, Functional Family Therapy, Conduct Disorder