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Callous-unemotional features, behavioral inhibition, and parenting: independent predictors of aggression in a high-risk preschool sample

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Abstract

A behaviorally-uninhibited temperament, callous-unemotional (CU) features, and harsh parenting have been associated with specific patterns of aggressive behavior in older children and adolescents. We tested the additive and interactive effects of these factors in predicting different types of aggressive behavior in a high-risk preschool sample. Forty-nine preschoolers and their parents registering for Head Start programs were recruited for participation. Behavioral inhibition, CU features, and attitudes toward various types of parenting were assessed through parent rating scales completed at the time of registration. Behavioral inhibition, CU features, and aggression were assessed by teacher ratings approximately six months later. Analyses revealed that behavioral inhibition, CU features, and harsh parental attitudes all contributed independently to the prediction of aggressive behavior. These associations were strongest for proactive types of aggression. Our results suggest that a behaviorally uninhibited temperament, CU features, and attitudes favoring harsh parenting are all important for understanding the development of aggression in preschool children.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA

    Eva R. Kimonis (Postdoctoral Fellow)

  2. Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans, 2001 Geology & Psychology Bldg., New Orleans, LA, 70148, USA

    Paul J. Frick

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Tulane University Medical Center, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Neil W. Boris (Professor), Anna T. Smyke (Professor) & Charles H. Zeanah (Professor)

  4. Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Amy H. Cornell (Researcher)

  5. Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Tulane University Medical Center, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Jamie M. Farrell (Researcher)

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  1. Eva R. Kimonis
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  2. Paul J. Frick
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  3. Neil W. Boris
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  4. Anna T. Smyke
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  5. Amy H. Cornell
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  7. Charles H. Zeanah
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Correspondence to Paul J. Frick.

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Kimonis, E.R., Frick, P.J., Boris, N.W. et al. Callous-unemotional features, behavioral inhibition, and parenting: independent predictors of aggression in a high-risk preschool sample. J Child Fam Stud 15, 741–752 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-006-9047-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-006-9047-8

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