Validation of the Intention Attribution Test for Children (IAC)

Variants of Callous-unemotional traits in childhood: investigation of attachment profile and hostile attribution bias

There is increasing evidence of interest in describing two variants of CallousUnemotional (CU) traits based on high (secondary variant) or low (primary variant) levels of anxiety. However, studies are limited in childhood. The present study aimed to further the understanding of the variants, specifically in association with hostile attribution bias (HAB) and attachment. In a community sample of children aged 4 to 9 (N = 70), the study examined whether anxiety moderated the association of CU traits with HAB, secure and disorganized attachment representations. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that CU traits were positively associated with disorganized attachment, regardless of the anxiety level. In contrast, CU traits were not associated with secure attachment. A significant interaction revealed that CU traits were positively associated with HAB only at high levels of anxiety. Implications for understanding the variants of CU traits and hypotheses regarding their developmental trajectories are discussed.

Effects of intellectual disability and attachment on hostile intent attribution bias

Understanding hostile intent attribution (HIA) seems important for prevention of problems in social adaptation. This study aimed to explore whether HIA in childhood is determined by both a cognitive factor (i.e. intellectual disability) and an affective factor (i.e. attachment representations). One hundred and eight 8- to 12-year-old children (54 with intellectual disability and 54 with typical development) passed the Attachment Story Completion Task and the Intention Attribution Test for Children. Results indicated that in ambiguous situations, attachment disorganization was associated with HIA, whereas intellectual disability was not. In nonintentional situations, both attachment hyperactivation and intellectual disability were linked with HIA. These results highlight the importance of helping children develop organized attachment representations and optimal activation of their attachment system to prevent social maladaptation.