title: The Association Between Callous-Unemotional Traits, Externalizing Problems, and Gender in Predicting Cognitive and Affective Morality Judgments in Adolescence.
abstract: Morality deficits have been linked to callous-unemotional traits and externalizing problems in response to moral dilemmas, but these associations are still obscure in response to antisocial acts in adolescence. Limited evidence on young boys suggested that callous-unemotional traits and externalizing problems were associated with affective but not cognitive morality judgments. The present study investigated these associations in a community sample of 277 adolescents (M age  = 15.35, 64 % females). Adolescents with high callous-unemotional traits showed deficits in affective but not cognitive morality, indicating that they can identify the appropriate moral emotions in others, but experience deviant moral emotions when imagining themselves committing antisocial acts. Externalizing problems and male gender were also strongly related to deficits in affective morality, but they had smaller associations with deficits in cognitive morality too. Implications for treatment and the justice system are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Montessorilaan 3, 6525 HE, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. i.fragkaki@pwo.ru.nl.
authors.forename: Iro
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3976-0878
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fragkaki
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Montessorilaan 3, 6525 HE, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maaike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cima
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Minderbroedersberg 4-6, 6211 LK, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cor
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meesters
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D001364:Awareness; D001530:Belgium; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D009014:Morals; D009426:Netherlands
keywords: Callous–unemotional traits; Externalizing problems; Gender; Morality judgments