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Investigating the Construct of Trauma‐Related Acquired Callousness Among Delinquent Youth: Differences in Emotion Processing
Author(s) -
Bennett Diana C.,
Kerig Patricia K.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.21931
Subject(s) - psychology , clarity , disgust , distress , poison control , clinical psychology , injury prevention , construct (python library) , human factors and ergonomics , suicide prevention , posttraumatic stress , developmental psychology , medical emergency , medicine , biochemistry , chemistry , anger , computer science , programming language
This study tested theories regarding differences in emotion processing among youth characterized by primary versus acquired callous‐unemotional (CU) traits in a sample of 417 detained adolescents (306 boys, 111 girls). Mixture modeling identified 2 groups of youth high in CU, but with different levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms consistent with theoretical conceptualizations of acquired CU as being linked to trauma. Differences between the 2 groups of youth were investigated regarding 3 dimensions of emotion processing: emotion regulation, numbing, and recognition. Compared to youth classified in the primary group, youth classified as acquired CU demonstrated greater difficulty with lack of clarity ( OR = 0.53), and nonacceptance of emotions, ( OR = 0.57), general numbing of emotions ( OR = 0.87), and recognition of disgust ( OR = 0.18). Differences in emotion processing reported by youth in the 2 groups are consistent with theories regarding acquired callousness as related to emotional detachment in the aftermath of posttraumatic distress. The results of the current study have implications for the classification of primary and acquired CU, as well as the clinical treatment of youth with these characteristics.