Callous-Unemotional Traits in Young Children: Risk Factors & Promising Interventions

In This Episode:Most of us probably have encountered children who show a lack of empathy for others, don't appear to feel guilty when they do something bad, and don't even seem bothered when they are caught or reprimanded. What is known about young children who have these "callous-unemotional traits," as researchers describe them? How early do children show these characteristics -- and how likely are those traits to continue or worsen as children get older? What are researchers learning about possible genetic influences on C-U traits? And, most important, what kinds of early experiences, including different types of parenting, contribute to -- or buffer against -- C-U traits?In this episode of Mom Enough®, Dr. Nick Wagner, a professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University, joins Marti & Erin to talk about research he is leading on this important and challenging issue, with an eye toward creating strategies for supporting children's healthy emotional and behavior development.WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT CALLOUS-UNEMOTIONAL CHILDREN IN THIS EPISODE?If you have encountered a child with those qualities, describe the child's specific behaviors in situations you observed. What did Dr. Wagner describe as promising ways parents could try to help their child build more caring, empathic ways of relating to others? For more information, read the articles linked to belowWANT TO LEARN MORE?❉ AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIORS. A blog post from the International Society for Research on Aggression.❉ ARTICLE ABOUT OUR GUEST’S RESEARCH. This article is about research on children’s social interactions and risk for callous-unemotional traits.