title: The Influence of Conduct Problems and Callous-Unemotional Traits on Academic Development Among Youth.
abstract: The present study attempted to address developmental differences within the large group of youth with conduct problems through an examination of the relationship between callous-unemotional traits and academic outcomes in an effort to expand the field's understanding of heterogeneity in outcomes associated with behavior problems. Data were collected from a cohort of 3rd grade students (N = 942; 51 % female; 45.6 % Hispanic/Latino, 41.1 % Black/African American, 4.7 % Non-Hispanic White; mean age = 8.07 years) in eighteen public elementary schools, as well as their parents and teachers. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that callous-unemotional traits were associated with lower quality student-teacher relationships and worse performance on standardized math and reading exams over and above the effects of conduct problems. These findings suggest that school-based interventions may be particularly effective in ameliorating some of the deficits noted within this subset of youth exhibiting conduct problems. This finding has important policy implications as the field of developmental science attempts to design and enrich programs that focus on improving social-emotional learning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Fordham University, New York, NY, USA. jhoran@casacolumbia.org.|Adolescent and Family Research Department, National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, Columbia University (CASAColumbia®), New York, NY, USA. jhoran@casacolumbia.org.
authors.forename: Jacqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Horan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Fordham University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: J Lawrence
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Aber
mesh_terms: D000073978:Academic Performance / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004644:Emotions; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male
keywords: Academic achievement; Callous-unemotional traits; Conduct problems; Student–teacher relationship