Increased cardiac vagal tone in childhood-only, adolescent-only, and persistently antisocial teenagers: the mediating role of low heart rate

BACKGROUND

Cardiac vagal tone is an indicator of parasympathetic nervous system functioning, and there is increasing interest in its relation to antisocial behavior. It is unclear however whether antisocial individuals are characterized by increased or decreased vagal tone, and whether increased vagal tone is the source of the low heart rate frequently reported in antisocial populations.

METHODS

Participants consisted of four groups of community-dwelling adolescent boys aged 15.7 years: (1) controls, (2) childhood-only antisocial, (3) adolescent-only antisocial, and (4) persistently antisocial. Heart rate and vagal tone were assessed in three different conditions: rest, cognitive stressor, and social stressor.

RESULTS

All three antisocial groups had both lower resting heart rates and increased vagal tone compared to the low antisocial controls across all three conditions. Low heart rate partially mediated the relationship between vagal tone and antisocial behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

Results indicate that increased vagal tone and reduced heart rate are relatively broad risk factors for different developmental forms of antisocial behavior. Findings are the first to implicate vagal tone as an explanatory factor in understanding heart rate - antisocial behavior relationships. Future experimental work using non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation or heart rate variability biofeedback is needed to more systematically evaluate this conclusion.

Structural brain abnormalities and aggressive behaviour in schizophrenia: Mega-analysis of data from 2095 patients and 2861 healthy controls via the ENIGMA consortium

Background

Schizophrenia is associated with an increased risk of aggressive behaviour, which may partly be explained by illness-related changes in brain structure. However, previous studies have been limited by group-level analyses, small and selective samples of inpatients and long time lags between exposure and outcome.

Methods

This cross-sectional study pooled data from 20 sites participating in the international ENIGMA-Schizophrenia Working Group. Sites acquired T1-weighted and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans in a total of 2095 patients with schizophrenia and 2861 healthy controls. Measures of grey matter volume and white matter microstructural integrity were extracted from the scans using harmonised protocols. For each measure, normative modelling was used to calculate how much patients deviated (in z-scores) from healthy controls at the individual level. Ordinal regression models were used to estimate the associations of these deviations with concurrent aggressive behaviour (as odds ratios [ORs] with 99% confidence intervals [CIs]). Mediation analyses were performed for positive symptoms (i.e., delusions, hallucinations and disorganised thinking), impulse control and illness insight. Aggression and potential mediators were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms or Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale.

Results

Aggressive behaviour was significantly associated with reductions in total cortical volume (OR [99% CI] = 0.88 [0.78, 0.98], p = .003) and global white matter integrity (OR [99% CI] = 0.72 [0.59, 0.88], p = 3.50 × 10-5) and additional reductions in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex volume (OR [99% CI] = 0.85 [0.74, 0.97], p =.002), inferior parietal lobule volume (OR [99% CI] = 0.76 [0.66, 0.87], p = 2.20 × 10-7) and internal capsule integrity (OR [99% CI] = 0.76 [0.63, 0.92], p = 2.90 × 10-4). Except for inferior parietal lobule volume, these associations were largely mediated by increased severity of positive symptoms and reduced impulse control.

Conclusions

This study provides evidence that the co-occurrence of positive symptoms, poor impulse control and aggressive behaviour in schizophrenia has a neurobiological basis, which may inform the development of therapeutic interventions.

Omega-3 Supplementation Reduces Schizotypal Personality in Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS

Based on a childhood intervention from ages 3 to 5 years that included additional fish consumption and which resulted in reduced schizotypal personality at age 23, we had previously hypothesized that omega-3 could reduce schizotypy. The current study tests the hypothesis that omega-3 supplementation reduces schizotypy in children.

STUDY DESIGN

In this intention-to-treat, randomized, single-blind, stratified, factorial trial, a community sample of 290 children aged 11-12 years were randomized into Omega-3 Only, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Only, Omega-3 + CBT, and Control groups. Schizotypy was assessed using the SPQ-C (Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire for Children) at 0 months (baseline), 3 months (end of treatment), 6 months (3 months post-treatment), and 12 months (9 months post-treatment).

STUDY RESULTS

A significant group × time interaction (P = .013) indicated that, compared with Controls, total schizotypy scores were reduced in both Omega-3 Only and Omega-3 + CBT groups immediately post-treatment (d = 0.56 and 0.47, respectively), and also 3 months after supplementation terminated (d = 0.49, d = 0.70). Stronger findings were observed for the interpersonal schizotypy factor, with both omega-3 groups showing reductions 9 months post-treatment compared with the CBT Only group. Schizotypy reductions were significantly stronger for those with higher dietary intake of omega-3 at intake. Sensitivity analyses confirmed findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Results are unique in the field and suggest that omega-3 can help reduce schizotypal personality in community-residing children. From an epidemiological standpoint, if replicated and extended, these findings could have implications for early prevention of more significant schizotypal features developing later in adolescence.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

"Healthy Brains & Behavior: Understanding and Treating Youth Aggression (HBB)." ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00842439, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00842439.

Effects of Mind-Body Qigong Exercise on Overall Health, Fatigue/Sleep, and Cognition in Older Chinese Immigrants in the US: An Intervention Study with Control

Background

Culturally relevant exercises may help improve health and address disparities faced by older immigrants due to language and cultural barriers. Few studies have focused on such exercise interventions among older Chinese immigrants at US daycare centers.

Methods

We conducted a 10-week nonrandomized controlled trial in older Chinese immigrants in Philadelphia, US. The intervention group practiced Chinese Qigong (Baduanjin) 5 days a week guided by trained research assistants and video instructions. The control group maintained their usual daily activities. We collected self-report assessments on overall health, sleep, and fatigue and implemented two computerized cognitive tests measuring psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) and memory twice, preintervention and postintervention. Repeated measures general linear model (GLM) and paired samples t-tests were used for data analyses.

Results

Eighty-eight older adults (Qigong, n = 53; control, n = 35) with an average age of 78.13 (SD = 5.05) were included. Groups showed no significant differences at baseline evaluation. After the 10-week exercise, the intervention group showed significant improvements in overall health (p=0.032), fatigue (p < 0.001), and cognitive functions including memory (p=0.01), response speed (p=0.002), and response time (p=0.012) on the PVT, as well as marginally significant benefits in sleep (p=0.058). Between-group comparisons identified significant group-by-time interactions in health (p=0.024), sleep (p=0.004), fatigue (p=0.004), and memory (p=0.004).

Conclusion

We revealed significant positive effects of Qigong in older Chinese immigrants across multiple health domains. Findings highlight the potential of a culturally relevant exercise in addressing health disparities.

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responsivity during adolescence in relation to psychopathic personality traits later in life

Psychopathic personality traits have been linked to low physiological arousal, particularly among high risk and forensic samples. A core indicator of physiological arousal is the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; however, findings of a link between HPA axis functioning and psychopathic personality traits have been inconsistent. Furthermore, given sex differences in both HPA axis responsivity and psychopathic personality traits, the association may be expected to differ between men and women. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between HPA axis responsivity in mid-adolescence and psychopathic personality traits in early adulthood and determine whether the association was moderated by sex. We examined this link in a general population sample of twins (N = 556). Adolescents participated in a psychosocial stress task during which samples of salivary cortisol were collected (11-15 years) and reported psychopathic personality traits using the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (19-20 years). Multilevel linear regression models were estimated in which psychopathic personality traits (boldness, meanness and disinhibition), and their interactions with sex, were regressed on HPA axis responsivity. The study was pre-registered on the Open Science Framework (osf.io/gs2a8). Preliminary analyses showed that cortisol levels did not increase significantly during the stressor task but decreased during recovery. Results showed that there was no association between HPA axis responsivity in mid-adolescence and psychopathic personality traits in early adulthood. The associations were not moderated by sex. Findings suggest that HPA axis responsivity in mid-adolescence did not serve as a biological marker for psychopathic personality traits among young adults from the general population.

High resting heart rate protects against the intergenerational transmission of antisocial behavior: a birth cohort study

Although social influences have been identified that protect against the intergenerational transmission of antisocial behavior, there has been no prior research on biological protective factors. This study examines whether high resting heart rate may be one such factor. Resting heart rate was measured in 405 children of parents from a birth cohort, together with antisocial behavior in both the parent and the child. Children who were not antisocial, but had a parent high on antisocial behavior, had higher resting heart rates than all three other parent-child antisocial behavior groupings. Results withstood control for age, gender, ethnicity, body mass index, and psychosocial adversity. Robustness checks confirmed these results. Findings are the first to identify a biological protective factor against the intergenerational transmission of childhood antisocial behavior.

The role of anxiety and callous-unemotional traits in the relationship between externalizing behaviors and sleep problems in clinic-referred youth

In a growing body of literature, poor sleep quality has been associated with externalizing problems. In adults, anxiety was found to mediate the relationship, and callous-unemotional (CU) traits were found to moderate it. We sought to examine these relationships in a child population. We examined these relationships in 239 clinic-referred youth (age 6-17) in Singapore with externalizing behavior problems. Parent- but not child-rated sleep problems were associated with increased parent-rated externalizing problems. This association was partially mediated by anxiety. Unlike in adults, CU traits did not moderate the relationship. Sleep problems were associated with externalizing problems regardless of the level of CU traits. It is possible externalizing behaviors may lead children to internalize experiences, leading to anxiety about their behaviors. Another possibility is externalizing behaviors may lead to more stressful life experiences due to negative reactions children with externalizing behaviors receive from parents, teachers, or peers. Regardless, the partial mediation found indicates anxiety may be an important factor to consider in future interventions focused on improving sleep as a means to reduce externalizing problems.

Amygdala connectivity and aggression

Neurobiological models propose that reactive aggression is predicated on impairments in amygdala-prefrontal connectivity that subserves moral decision-making and emotion regulation. The amygdala is a key component within this neural network that modulates reactive aggression. We provide a review of amygdala dysfunctional brain networks leading to reactive aggressive behavior. We elaborate on key concepts, focusing on moral decision-making and emotion regulation in a developmental context, and brain network connectivity factors relating to amygdala (dys)function-factors which we suggest predispose to reactive aggression. We additionally discuss insights into the latest treatment interventions, providing the utilization of the scientific findings for practice.

The bidirectional relationship between sleep and externalizing behavior: A systematic review

It is well-established that sleep and behavior are interrelated. Although studies have investigated this association, not many have evaluated the bidirectional relationship between the two. To our knowledge this is the first systematic review providing a comprehensive analysis of a reciprocal relationship between sleep and externalizing behavior. Five databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar) were utilized to yield a total of 3,762 studies of which 20 eligible studies, empirical articles examining bidirectionality of sleep and externalizing behavior, were selected for analysis. According to the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, the varying methodological approaches used in these studies were analyzed and synthesized, including examining differences and similarities in outcomes between distinct study designs (longitudinal vs cross-sectional), sleep measures (objective vs subjective vs a combination of both), informants (parents, self-report, teachers), and recruited participants (clinical, subclinical and typical populations). The assessment of risk of bias and quality of studies was guided by the instruments employed in research on sleep and behavior in the past. This review establishes that a bidirectional relationship between sleep problems and externalizing behavior clearly exists, and identifies limitations in the existing literature. Furthermore, the importance of early interventions that target both externalizing behaviors and sleep problems is highlighted as a potentially effective way of breaking the sleep-externalizing behavior relationship. Nonetheless, causality cannot be claimed until more trials that manipulate sleep and evaluate changes in externalizing behavior are conducted.

Self-perceived loneliness and depression during the Covid-19 pandemic: a two-wave replication study

The global Covid-19 pandemic has forced countries to impose strict lockdown restrictions and mandatory stay-at-home orders with varying impacts on individual's health. Combining a data-driven machine learning paradigm and a statistical approach, our previous paper documented a U-shaped pattern in levels of self-perceived loneliness in both the UK and Greek populations during the first lockdown (17 April to 17 July 2020). The current paper aimed to test the robustness of these results by focusing on data from the first and second lockdown waves in the UK. We tested a) the impact of the chosen model on the identification of the most time-sensitive variable in the period spent in lockdown. Two new machine learning models - namely, support vector regressor (SVR) and multiple linear regressor (MLR) were adopted to identify the most time-sensitive variable in the UK dataset from Wave 1 (n = 435). In the second part of the study, we tested b) whether the pattern of self-perceived loneliness found in the first UK national lockdown was generalisable to the second wave of the UK lockdown (17 October 2020 to 31 January 2021). To do so, data from Wave 2 of the UK lockdown (n = 263) was used to conduct a graphical inspection of the week-by-week distribution of self-perceived loneliness scores. In both SVR and MLR models, depressive symptoms resulted to be the most time-sensitive variable during the lockdown period. Statistical analysis of depressive symptoms by week of lockdown resulted in a U-shaped pattern between weeks 3 and 7 of Wave 1 of the UK national lockdown. Furthermore, although the sample size by week in Wave 2 was too small to have a meaningful statistical insight, a graphical U-shaped distribution between weeks 3 and 9 of lockdown was observed. Consistent with past studies, these preliminary results suggest that self-perceived loneliness and depressive symptoms may be two of the most relevant symptoms to address when imposing lockdown restrictions.

A three-timepoint network analysis of Covid-19's impact on schizotypal traits, paranoia and mental health through loneliness

The 2019 coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has impacted people's mental wellbeing. Studies to date have examined the prevalence of mental health symptoms (anxiety and depression), yet fewer longitudinal studies have compared across background factors and other psychological variables to identify vulnerable subgroups in the general population. This study tests to what extent higher levels of schizotypal traits and paranoia are associated with mental health variables 6- and 12-months since April 2020. Over 2300 adult volunteers (18-89 years, female = 74.9%) with access to the study link online were recruited from the UK, the USA, Greece and Italy. Self-reported levels of schizotypy, paranoia, anxiety, depression, aggression, loneliness and stress from three timepoints (17 April to 13 July 2020, N₁ = 1599; 17 October to 31 January 2021, N₂ = 774; and 17 April to 31 July 2021, N₃ = 586) were mapped using network analysis and compared across time and background variables (sex, age, income, country). Schizotypal traits and paranoia were positively associated with poorer mental health through loneliness, with no effect of age, sex, income levels, countries and timepoints. Loneliness was the most influential variable across all networks, despite overall reductions in levels of loneliness, schizotypy, paranoia and aggression during the easing of lockdown (time 3). Individuals with higher levels of schizotypal traits/paranoia reported poorer mental health outcomes than individuals in the low-trait groups. Schizotypal traits and paranoia are associated with poor mental health outcomes through self-perceived feelings of loneliness, suggesting that increasing social/community cohesion may improve individuals' mental wellbeing in the long run.

Lower dietary intake of magnesium is associated with more callous-unemotional traits in children

BACKGROUND

Although researchers increasingly recognize the role of nutrition in mental health, little research has examined specific micronutrient intake in relation to antisocial behavior and callous-unemotional (CU) traits in children. Vitamin B6 and magnesium are involved in neurochemical processes implicated in modulating antisocial behavior and CU traits. The current study examined dietary intakes of magnesium and vitamin B6 in relation to antisocial behavior and CU traits.

METHOD

: We enrolled 11-12 year old children (n = 446, mean age = 11.9 years) participating in the Healthy Brains and Behavior Study. Magnesium and vitamin B6 dietary intake were assessed with three 24-hour dietary recall interviews in children. CU traits and antisocial behavior were assessed by caregiver-reported questionnaires. We controlled for age, sex, race, total energy intake, body mass index, social adversity, ADHD or learning disability diagnosis, and internalizing behavior in all regression analyses.

RESULTS

Children with lower magnesium intake had higher levels of CU traits, controlling for covariates (β = -0.18, B = -0.0066, SE = 0.0027, p < 0.05). Vitamin B6 intake was not significantly associated with CU traits (β = 0.061, B = 0.19, SE = 0.20, p > 0.05). Neither magnesium (β = 0.014, B = 0.0020, SE = 0.0093, p > 0.05) nor vitamin B6 (β = 0.025, B = 0.33, SE = 0.70, p > 0.05) were significantly associated with antisocial behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that low dietary intake of magnesium may play a role in the etiology of CU traits but not general antisocial behavior. More studies are needed to determine if magnesium supplementation or diets higher in magnesium could improve CU traits in children.

The conduct and oppositional defiant disorder scales (CODDS) for disruptive behaviour disorders

This study evaluates the clinical validity of a five-minute instrument, the Conduct and Oppositional Defiant Disorder Scales (CODDS), for assessing oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD). Children (N = 428) aged 11-12 years and their caregiver were administered the NIMH DISC-IV (Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children), the CODDS, and validity measures. A second sample (N = 671) was utilized to develop a brief measure of limited prosocial emotions based on DSM 5. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves documented good sensitivity and specificity for CODDS scales in predicting DISC-IV clinical diagnoses of ODD (85%, 72% respectively) and CD (85%, 88%) diagnoses. Baseline CODDS provided added value over and above baseline clinical DISC- diagnoses in predicting future DISC ODD and CD diagnoses 12 months later, as well as in predicting social and school functioning. Study 2 further established psychometric properties of the CODDS, with brief measures of CODDS limited prosocial emotions (LPE) having a good fit to the hypothesized DSM 5 four-factor structure of LPE. Findings indicates that the CODDS has utility as a five-minute proxy for diagnoses of ODD and CD in clinical research and potentially practice where time and resources are limited.

Cross-cultural Validity of the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire Among Adults Across Five Countries

This study aims to test psychometric properties and factor invariance of the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ) for adults across five countries: Serbia (N = 409), Mauritius (N = 400), the United States (N = 389), the Netherlands (N = 372), and China (N = 325). The results supported the two-factor structure across country samples, with a marginal model fit in Mauritius. Results also supported the congruent factor structure of Reactive Aggression scale across countries, while the Proactive Aggression scale can be considered as equal across samples from Serbia, the United States, and China, but not from Mauritius and the Netherland. Among items from the Proactive Aggression scale, those referring to open aggression aimed at obtaining social status and dominance, frightening or harming others, obtained the highest loadings across all samples and could be considered as the good representatives of adult proactive aggression. This is the first study in which cross-cultural validation of the RPQ among adults has been tested and results suggested that there are some cultural differences in expression of proactive aggression.

Larger striatal volume is associated with increased adult psychopathy

Prior studies have inconsistently reported increased volumes of the striatum in adults with psychopathy. A meta-analysis presented here indicates an overall effect size of d = 0.44. Nevertheless, variability in findings exist, and questions remain on confounding clinical conditions and generalizability to females. This study tests the hypothesis that striatal volumes are increased in adults with psychopathic traits, and that this relationship is mediated by stimulation-seeking and impulsivity. Striatal volume was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging in 108 adult community-dwelling males alongside psychopathy using the Psychopathy Checklist - Revised. Subsidiary, exploratory analyses were conducted on a small sample of females. Correlational analyses showed that increased striatal volumes were associated with more psychopathic traits (p = .001). Effects were observed for all striatal regions, controlling for age, substance dependence and abuse, antisocial personality disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, social adversity, and total brain volume. An analysis of 18 psychopathic individuals showed that striatal volumes were increased 9.4% compared with 18 matched controls (p = .01). Psychopathy in females was also significantly associated with increased striatal volume (p = .02). Stimulation-seeking and impulsivity partly mediated the striatal-psychopathy relationship, accounting for 49.4% of this association. Findings from these two samples replicate and build on initial studies indicating striatal enlargement in adults with psychopathy, yielding an updated effect size of d = 0.48. Results are consistent with the notion that striatal abnormalities in individuals with psychopathy partly reflect increased sensation-seeking and impulsivity, and support the hypothesis of abnormal reward processing in psychopathy.

Developmental Trajectories of Delinquent and Aggressive Behavior: Evidence for Differential Heritability

The developmental course of antisocial behavior is often described in terms of qualitatively distinct trajectories. However, the genetic etiology of various trajectories is not well understood. We examined heterogeneity in the development of delinquent and aggressive behavior in 1532 twin youth using four waves of data collection, spanning ages 9-10 to 16-18. A latent class growth analysis was used to uncover relevant subgroups. For delinquent behavior, three latent classes emerged: Non-Delinquent, Low-Level Delinquent, and Persistent Delinquent. Liability for persistent delinquency had a substantial genetic origin (heritability = 67%), whereas genetic influences were negligible for lower-risk subgroups. Three classes of aggressive behavior were identified: Non-Aggressive, Moderate, and High. Moderate heritability spanned the entire continuum of risk for aggressive behavior. Thus, there are differences between aggressive behavior and non-aggressive delinquency with respect to heterogeneity of etiology. We conclude that persistent delinquency represents an etiologically distinct class of rule-breaking with strong genetic roots.

Blood lead levels mediate the relationship between social adversity and child externalizing behavior

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The association between social adversity and externalizing behavioral problems in children is well-documented. What is much less researched are biological mechanisms that may mediate such relationships. This study examines the hypothesis that low blood lead mediates the relationship between social adversity and child externalizing behavior problems.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, participants were 131 children aged 11-12 years (mean = 11.90) from Philadelphia, US. A venous fasting blood sample was taken and analyzed for blood lead levels. A social adversity index was calculated based on 10 total indicators derived from a psychosocial interview of the parent and official neighborhood data, while child behavior outcomes (internalizing and externalizing behavior) were assessed using both parent-report and child self-report.

RESULTS

The mean blood lead level was 2.20 μg/dL. Both relatively higher blood lead levels and higher social adversity scores were associated with higher levels of parent-reported and child self-reported externalizing behaviors. Additionally, blood lead mediated the relationship between social adversity and child-reported externalizing behavior (Indirect effect: B = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.09) and partially mediated the relationship between social adversity and parent-reported externalizing behavior (Indirect Effect: B = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.07).

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this study is the first to suggest that blood lead levels play a mediating role in the relationship between externalizing behavior problems and social adversity. Findings have potentially important implications for public health and environmental regulation as well as understanding biological mechanisms that link social inequality with health outcomes, especially in youth from low-income, urban areas.

The Cognitive, Affective and Somatic Empathy Scales for Adults

The Cognitive, Affective and Somatic Empathy Scales (CASES) assess three forms of empathy, each with subscales for positive and negative empathy. The present study extends this child instrument to adults and examines its factor structure and construct validity. A secondary aim is to investigate the under-researched area of positive empathy. Community samples totaling 2,604 adults completed the CASES for adults, together with scales assessing construct validity. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the three-factor cognitive-affective-somatic model and a two-factor positive-negative empathy model. Findings were replicated in a second independent sample. Internal reliabilities ranged from .80 to .92. Individuals with higher psychopathy and stimulation-seeking scores were less impaired in their empathic reactions to positive relative to negative valence events, suggesting that they are relatively capable of responding emotionally to rewarding events. Somatic empathy was most strongly associated with pleasure in affective touch and with female > male gender differences. While proactive aggression was associated with reduced cognitive and affective empathy, reactive aggression was associated with increased empathy. Findings provide initial support for the utility of CASES for assessing different forms of empathy and suggest that the balance between positive and negative empathy could provide new insights into psychological traits.

A meta-analysis on shared and distinct neural correlates of the decision-making underlying altruistic and retaliatory punishment

Individuals who violate social norms will most likely face social punishment sanctions. Those sanctions are based on different motivation aspects, depending on the context. Altruistic punishment occurs if punishment aims to re‐establish the social norms even at cost for the punisher. Retaliatory punishment is driven by anger or spite and aims to harm the other. While neuroimaging research highlighted the neural networks supporting decision‐making in both types of punishment in isolation, it remains unclear whether they rely on the same or distinct neural systems. We ran an activation likelihood estimation meta‐analysis on functional magnetic resonance imaging data on 24 altruistic and 19 retaliatory punishment studies to investigate the neural correlates of decision‐making underlying social punishment and whether altruistic and retaliatory punishments share similar brain networks. Social punishment reliably activated the bilateral insula, inferior frontal gyrus, midcingulate cortex (MCC), and superior and medial frontal gyri. This network largely overlapped with activation clusters found for altruistic punishment. However, retaliatory punishment revealed only one cluster in a posterior part of the MCC, which was not recruited in altruistic punishment. Our results support previous models on social punishment and highlight differential involvement of the MCC in altruistic and retaliatory punishments, reflecting the underlying different motivations.

P300 Event-Related Potentials Mediate the Relationship Between Child Physical Abuse and Externalizing Behavior

The psychophysiological mechanism linking early childhood experiences to behavior problems remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the association of child physical abuse with P300 event-related potentials (ERP), and to test the mediating effect of P300 amplitude and latency in the relationship between child physical abuse and externalizing behaviors. Cross-sectional secondary data were obtained from 155 children (55.5% boys, mean age: 11.28 ± 0.57 years) who participated in the China Jintan Child Cohort Study. Children self-reported maternal and paternal physical abuse and externalizing behaviors, as well as P300 were obtained in 2013. Additionally, parents and teachers reported child externalizing behaviors in preschool in 2007. P300 were recorded during a standard novel auditory oddball task. Path analysis shows that after controlling for child sex, socioeconomic status, area of residence, IQ, and child externalizing behavior in preschool, children exposed to maternal physical abuse exhibited increased novelty P300 amplitude, which links to more externalizing behavior. Novelty P300 amplitude partially mediated the relationship between maternal physical abuse and externalizing behavior. These findings are the first to document the partial mediating effect of P300 amplitude on the abuse-externalizing relationship and are consistent with the view that physical abuse affects the attention bias to novel cues that likely places them at increased risk for the development and maintenance of externalizing behavior.

Proactive vs. Reactive Aggression Within Two Modified Versions of the Taylor Aggression Paradigm

The Taylor Aggression Paradigm (TAP) has been widely used to measure reactive aggression following provocation during competitive interactions. Besides being reactive, aggression can be goal-directed (proactive aggression). Our study presents a novel paradigm to investigate proactive aggression during competitive interactions. Sixty-seven healthy participants competed in two modified versions of the TAP against an ostensible opponent while skin conductance responses (SCRs) were recorded. During the proactive TAP (pTAP), only the participant could interfere with the ostensible opponent’s performance by blurring the screen. In the reactive TAP (rTAP), the opponent repeatedly provoked the participant by blurring the screen of the participant, impeding their chance to win. In both versions, the blurriness levels chosen by the participant served as a measure of aggression (unprovoked in the pTAP and provoked in the rTAP). In the pTAP, trial-by-trial mixed model analyses revealed higher aggression with higher self-reported selfishness. SCRs decreased with increasing proactive aggression. An interaction effect between gender and proactive aggression for the SCRs revealed increased SCRs at higher aggression levels in females, but lower SCRs at higher aggression levels in males. In the rTAP, SCRs were not associated with reactive aggression but aggression increased with increasing provocation and especially after losing against the opponent when provoked. While males showed higher aggression levels than females when unprovoked, reactive aggression increased more strongly in females with higher provocation. Mean levels of aggression in both tasks showed a high positive correlation. Our results highlight that, despite being intercorrelated and both motivated by selfishness, proactive and reactive aggression are differentially influenced by gender and physiological arousal. Proactive aggression is related to lower physiological arousal, especially in males, with females showing the opposite association. Reactive aggressive behavior is a result of individual responses to provocation, to which females seem to be more sensitive.

Longitudinal bidirectional association between sleep and behavior problems at age 6 and 11 years

BACKGROUND

Although a growing number of longitudinal studies have found that sleep problems precede behavior problems, few have examined potential bidirectional relationships longitudinally. The present study examined prospective associations between sleep problems and internalizing, externalizing, and attention problems over the course of childhood.

METHODS

Participants included 775 children from the China Jintan Cohort Study. Sleep problems were rated by mothers at ages six and 11.5, as well as self-reported by children at age 11.5. Behavior problems were rated by mothers and teachers at ages six and 11.5, and self-reported by children at age 11.5.

RESULTS

At age six, 15.0% of children were reported to have sleep problems as rated by mothers. At age 11, this prevalence was 12% as rated by mothers and 20% as rated by youth. Bidirectional relationships between sleep problems and behavior problems were observed. Mother-reported sleep problems at age six were predictive of self-reported internalizing and attention problems at age 11.5, even after controlling for baseline behavioral problems. At age six, teacher-reported externalizing, internalizing, and attention problems, and mother-rated internalizing and externalizing problems were all related to sleep problems at age 11.5, even after controlling for baseline sleep problems. Other sociodemographic covariates including child sex, age, and parental education were controlled for.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings provide further support for the reciprocal relationship between sleep problems and behavior problems. Early interventions that target both types of problems may be especially effective in preventing this aggravating health-behavior cycle.

Restlessness in Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Using Actigraphy to Measure Physiological Reactions to Threat

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive, uncontrollable worry accompanied by symptoms of physiological arousal. Although individuals with GAD report greater subjective arousal than healthy individuals, they show equivalent or even attenuated physiological reactions to threat. This may result from using physiological measures better suited to fear than anxiety. To test this possibility, 102 adults with and without GAD were assessed for restlessness, a core physiological symptom of GAD. They were exposed to an in vivo threat task designed to elicit anxiety in the laboratory. Throughout the task, restlessness was measured physiologically with actigraphy sensors on both ankles and both wrists, and subjectively with self-report ratings. The GAD group reported higher subjective restlessness than the no-GAD group, and in the subset of cases who had restlessness as a clinically significant symptom, actigraphy scores were reliably elevated as well. However, although actigraphy scores increased with proximity to the threat, the increases did not differ by group. These findings provide initial validation for actigraphy as a novel measure of motor restlessness in GAD. In addition, they underscore the value of measuring restlessness using multiple assessment methods. These methods suggest that, in GAD, restlessness reflects a chronic state of arousal rather than a heightened physiological reaction to threat.

Vitamin D sufficiency attenuates the effect of early social adversity on child antisocial behavior

BACKGROUND

Vitamin D insufficiency and child antisocial behavior are public health concerns. It is unknown whether vitamin D plays a role in antisocial outcomes. This study examines whether higher levels of vitamin D can act as a protective factor against antisocial behavior for children who are exposed to early social adversity.

METHODS

In a community sample of 300 children aged 11-12 years (151 females, 149 males), serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] were assessed alongside early social adversity, and both parent and child-reported antisocial behavior.

RESULTS

Vitamin D moderated the association between early social adversity and multiple antisocial outcomes. Higher social adversity was associated with greater antisocial behavior among vitamin D-insufficient [25(OH)D < 30 ng/mL], but not vitamin D-sufficient children [25(OH)D ⩾ 30 ng/mL], after adjusting for other variables. Results from child reports of antisocial behavior were replicated with parent reports, providing support for the robustness of the findings. At serum 25(OH)D concentrations above 27.16-30.69 ng/mL (close to 30 ng/mL, the recommended optimal vitamin D level for pediatric populations), the effect of social adversity on antisocial behavior outcomes was nullified.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this study is the first to document that a nutritional factor, vitamin D, can potentially confer resilience to antisocial behavior. Our findings in a pediatric population suggest a possible role of vitamin D supplementation in interventions to reduce antisocial behavior, which may be further investigated in future randomized controlled trials.

The Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire for Children (SPQ-C): Factor Structure, Child Abuse, and Family History of Schizotypy

There is a relative dearth of research on features of schizotypal personality in children, in part due to lack of instrumentation. This study tests 5 competing models of the factor structure of the self-report Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire for Children (SPQ-C) and examines its relationship with a family history of schizotypal personality disorder (SPD), child abuse, and stability over time. Hypotheses were tested on 454 11- to 12-year-old schoolchildren and their caregivers. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a 3-factor structure of the SPQ-C (cognitive-perceptual, interpersonal, and disorganized). Test-retest stability was relatively robust over 3 months (r = .67), 6 months (r = .64), and 12 months (r = .55), with acceptable internal reliabilities (r = .84 to .91). Regarding construct validity, children with a biological family history of SPD had higher scores on all 3 factors (d =.51). Abused children had higher schizotypy scores (d = .55). A genetic × environment interaction was observed, with schizotypy highest in those with both a family history of schizotypy and also child abuse. Findings are the first in the child schizotypy field to document a gene × environment interaction and the independence of child abuse from confounding genetic influences. Results support the utility of the SPQ-C in future family and clinical studies of schizotypal personality and provide an avenue for much-needed and neglected research into the early antecedents of child schizotypal personality.

Blood lead and mercury levels are associated with low resting heart rate in community adolescent boys

While the neurotoxic effects of heavy metals at even low levels have been well-studied, few studies have examined the cardiovascular effects of heavy metals on resting heart rate and these have focused on adult populations. The present study aimed to examine the association between low-level environmental lead and mercury exposure and resting heart rate in community adolescents. As part of the China Jintan Cohort Study, 532 adolescents aged 12 years (SD = 0.6) were tested for blood levels of lead (BLL) and mercury (BML) and resting heart rate (RHR). Generalized linear models were conducted to test the relationship between BLL and BML and RHR, controlling for children's sex, age, and socioeconomic status. Analyses were clustered at the preschool level when the children were recruited to adjust for standard error. The mean (SD) BLL and BML were 3.14 (SD = 1.19) μg/dL and 1.26 (SD = 0.68) μg/L at age 12 years, respectively. After adjusting for confounders, we found a significant interaction between BML and BLL in predicting RHR in boys (B = -1.27, SE = 0.49, p < 0.01, n = 289). We created BLL and BML groups in boys based on median cut-offs. Boys in the High BLL/High BML group had significantly lower RHR (mean = 84.22 beats per minute [bpm], SD = 8.77, n = 61) than boys in the Low BLL/Low BML group (mean = 89.03 bpm, SD = 10.75, n = 69; p < 0.05). BML and BLL did not interact to predict RHR in girls (B = -0.18, SE = 0.88, p > 0.05, n = 242). Combined high BLL and BML were associated with low RHR in community adolescent boys. Low RHR is an indication of chronic under-arousal and has been implicated in psychopathology, particularly for externalizing behavior. Our findings may stimulate further communication and research in this area.

Omega-3 supplementation, child antisocial behavior, and psychopathic personality: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, stratified, parallel group trial

While some RCTs have observed efficacy for omega-3 supplementation in reducing antisocial behavior, the role of psychopathic personality and gender in moderating treatment outcome has not been examined. This study examines whether omega-3 supplementation reduces antisocial behavior, and whether any treatment effects are a function of gender and psychopathy. Three hundred and twenty-four schoolchildren with a mean age of 11.9 years were randomized into 3 groups: omega-3 (N = 108), placebo (N = 110), and no-treatment controls (N = 106). Parent and child reports of child antisocial and aggressive behavior and psychopathic-like personality were collected at 0 months (baseline), 6 months (end of treatment), and 12 months (6 months post-treatment). A group × time × gender interaction (p = .016) indicated that only females in the omega-3 group showed a significant reduction in antisocial behavior 6 months post-treatment compared to baseline (d = .35), whereas the females in the two control groups showed no change over time. A group x time x psychopathy interaction (p < .006) was also observed, with psychopathic personality levels moderating treatment outcome. Children in the omega-3 group with high (but not low) psychopathic-like personality showed significant improvements in child-reported antisocial behavior at the end of treatment (d = .19) Results suggest that omega-3 supplementation may be helpful in reducing childhood antisocial and aggressive behavior in females, and those with psychopathic-like personalities.

Reduced Electrodermal Fear Conditioning and Child Callous-Unemotional Traits

Diminished fear conditioning is a well-replicated finding in adult psychopathy. In contrast, there is virtually no research on fear conditioning and callous-unemotional (CU) traits in children. This study aimed to fill in this knowledge gap using a sample of predominantly African American children. The sample comprised 446 community-recruited children (mean age = 11.93 years; 52% boys; 82% African Americans). Skin conductance was recorded during a fear conditioning task and a resting task. CU traits were assessed using the Antisocial Processes Screening Device completed by children and their parents, while aggression was measured with the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire-Short Form. Self-report, but not parent-report CU traits were inversely associated with fear conditioning skin conductance response. CU traits from either report source were not associated with skin conductance responding to the aversive stimulus, or with resting skin conductance level. This is the first study documenting an association between CU traits in children and reduced electrodermal fear conditioning. Findings highlight the importance of conditioned negative emotional arousability in CU traits, and lend support to the developmental psychopathology hypothesis that CU traits may result from impaired conscience development. Electrodermal fear conditioning has the potential to be incorporated into treatment protocols for screening and evaluation purpose.

The utility of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) facet and item scores in predicting violent recidivism

There is relatively limited research on psychopathy in non-Caucasian ethnic groups and even less on the utility of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) that focuses on PCL-R facet and item scores in predicting violent recidivism. In this study, we assessed the utility of the PCL-R in prospectively predicting violent versus nonviolent recidivism during an 11-year follow-up window. A high-risk sample of 451 incarcerated Korean male offenders was assessed on the PCL-R at baseline. A total of 445 were reconvicted after release (353 violent and 92 nonviolent recidivists). Psychopathy facet scores were higher in violent compared to nonviolent recidivists. Facet 2 (affective) showed the strongest effect size (Cohen's d = 0.53; Percentage change in odds = 22.6%) in predicting violent recidivism. Analyses of the four items constituting the affective facet indicated that callous/lack of empathy (Percentage change in odds = 134.4%) and failure to accept responsibility (Percentage change in odds = 94.5%) were the strongest predictors of violent recidivism. Findings are to our knowledge the first to document the utility of the PCL-R in distinguishing violent from nonviolent recidivism and highlight the role of affective impairment (particularly lack of empathy) in violent recidivism.

Morphology of the criminal brain: gray matter reductions are linked to antisocial behavior in offenders

Aggression and psychopathy are multifaceted conditions determined interpersonal and antisocial factors. Only a few studies analyze the link between these separate factors and specific brain morphology distinctively. A voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis was performed on 27 violent offenders and 27 controls aiming to associate sub-features of aggressive and psychopathic behavior with specific gray matter volumes. Trait aggression was assessed using two self-report tests (Aggression Questionnaire, AQ, and Reactive-Proactive-Aggression Questionnaire, RPQ) and psychopathy with the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). Total and sub-scale scores of these tests were correlated to the brain morphometry of the offenders group in separate analyses. It was found that psychopathic behavior was negatively correlated with prefrontal gray matter volume and that this result was primarily driven by the antisocial behavior sub-scale of the PCL-R. Furthermore, less gray matter in right superior frontal and left inferior parietal regions with increasing antisocial behavior could be observed. One cluster comprising the right middle and superior temporal gyrus was negatively correlated with both, reactive aggression and antisocial behavior. These results outline (1) the importance of distinctively analyzing sub-features that contribute to aggressive and psychopathic behavior, given that the negative correlation of psychopathy global scores with prefrontal volume was driven by one single facet of the PCL-R scale (antisocial behavior). Moreover, these results indicate (2) fronto-temporo-parietal network deficits in antisocial, criminal offenders, with a particular strong effect in the temporal lobe.

Reduced sensitivity to affiliation and psychopathic traits

Psychopathy is characterized by affective and interpersonal deficits, deviant lifestyle, and antisocial behaviors. Much research has been dedicated to understanding the impairments in reinforcement learning, fear conditioning, and sensitivity to threat, distress, or fear in others, which are thought to underpin psychopathic traits. Fewer studies have examined deficits in affiliative processes, which could provide insight into mechanisms giving rise to the impairments in social bonding, closeness with others, and cooperation that also characterize individuals high on psychopathy. The current study examined whether reduced sensitivity to affiliation was related to psychopathic traits among 407 adults from the community (female, 59%). Sensitivity to affiliation was modeled as a latent construct capturing item-level variance shared across 4 measures that assessed sensitivity to emotional and physical cues of affiliation, including stimuli presented as videos or images, and via self-report ratings about sensitivity to positive affiliative and affective cues. Results indicated that lower sensitivity to affiliation was related to higher total psychopathy scores. In particular, in models parsing the overlap of psychopathy factor and facet scores, lower sensitivity to affiliation was uniquely related to higher Factor 1 and affective facet scores, as well as higher scores on a measure of callous-unemotional traits. Our findings provide support for the existence of important socioaffiliative and motivational deficits that may underpin the affective features of psychopathy and speak to the potential to target such mechanisms in interventions and treatments to reduce psychopathic traits. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Caregivers' Grit Moderates the Relationship Between Children's Executive Function and Aggression

OBJECTIVE

Previous studies have shown that the impairment of executive function is positively related to aggression in children and adolescents. What is worth investigating is the moderator of such a relationship so that aggressive behavior can be reduced effectively in those who have executive function problems. The present study examined the association between executive function and two major subtypes of aggression (proactive and reactive aggression) and whether their caregivers' grit (perseverance) moderated such relationship.

METHOD

Executive function and reactive and proactive aggression were assessed in 254 children and adolescents aged 8-19 years old, and their caregivers' grit was measured.

RESULTS

Results show that caregivers' grit plays a significant role in moderating the relationship between children's executive function and proactive aggression after controlling for the covariates including the children's age, gender, and family income. Specifically, children's executive function became more negatively associated with proactive aggression when caregivers' grit was high while the association was positive when it was low. On the other hand, the association between children's executive function and reactive aggression did not vary across different levels of caregivers' grit.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that proactive aggression may be reduced in those who have better executive function by enhancing their caregivers' grit, which inform the design of interventions in adjunct with the current approach (e.g., executive function training) to reduce aggression in children and adolescents in the community.

The relationship between resting heart rate and aggression in males is racially variant

Although resting heart rate is thought to be a generalizable risk factor for aggression, very little research has examined whether this relationship varies by race. We addressed this limitation using longitudinal data from the Pittsburgh Youth Study. Current data are from 197 men who participated in a teenage biosocial study (mean age = 15.7 years) and adult follow-up study (mean age = 32.1 years). Teenage resting heart rate interacted with race to predict teenage and adult aggression. The relationship between heart rate and aggression was significant in White, but not in Black males. To our knowledge, this is the first study to find that the relationship between resting heart rate and aggression is racially variant, suggesting that resting heart rate may not be a generalizable biomarker for conduct problems. At an intervention-level, findings could contribute to the development of more accurate risk assessment tools that take into account racial variance in risk factors.

Autonomic nervous system activity and callous-unemotional traits in physically maltreated youth

BACKGROUND

Research into callous-unemotional (CU) traits often focuses exclusively on biological risk factors without integrating social factors. This gap exists despite a growing body of research showing that the social environment may actually impact physiological functioning, which could in turn affect behavior.

OBJECTIVE

The current study addresses this limitation by examining physical maltreatment and heart rate stress reactivity as potential risk factors for CU traits.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

This research was conducted in a community sample of Chinese youth (mean age = 11.83 years, 44.3 % female).

METHODS

Each child separately reported frequency of physical maltreatment experiences by his or her mother and father over the past 12 months. Children completed a self-report measure of CU traits.

RESULTS

Frequency of maternal physical maltreatment was associated with uncaring traits in females, but not in males. Paternal physical maltreatment was associated with uncaring traits in both males and females and with callous traits in females only. While paternal physical maltreatment was associated with lower heart rate reactivity in females, maternal physical maltreatment was associated with higher heart rate reactivity in females.

CONCLUSION

Findings provide mixed support for a potential physiological pathway through which child maltreatment may impact callous traits and provide a multilevel, biosocial lens through which to understand CU traits.

Anger provocation increases limbic and decreases medial prefrontal cortex connectivity with the left amygdala in reactive aggressive violent offenders

Neurobiological models propose reactive aggression as a failure in emotion regulation, caused by an imbalance between prefrontal cortical control and excessive bottom-up signals of negative affect by limbic regions, including the amygdala. Therefore, we hypothesize a negative correlation between PFC and amygdala activity (pre/post resting-state scans) in violent offenders. In this study resting-state fMRI was administered before and after an emotion (anger and happiness) provocation or engagement task within 18 male violent offenders scoring high on reactive aggression, and 18 male non-offender controls. Research in emotional pre/post resting-state showed altered connectivity by task performance. Therefore, bilateral amygdala region of interest (ROI) whole brain functional connectivity analysis tested dynamic change differences between pre and post resting-state connectivity between groups. Self-reported anger showed a positive significant relationship with medial prefrontal cortex activity in the pre-task scan and significantly increased during the emotion task in both the violent and control group. Imaging results showed a significant decrease in amygdala – medial prefrontal functional connectivity in the violent offenders and an increase in the non-offender controls after the emotion task. The opposite pattern was found for amygdala connectivity with the (para) limbic regions: violent offenders showed increased connectivity and non-offender controls showed decreased connectivity. The present results indicate that reactive aggression might stem from a focus on emotion processing, as indicated by an increase in limbic functional connectivity. The combination of a focus on emotion, along with a lack of medial prefrontal cortex regulation, has the potential to grow out of control e.g. in reactive aggression.

Testosterone and Proactive-Reactive Aggression in Youth: the Moderating Role of Harsh Discipline

This study tests a biosocial model of the link between testosterone and proactive-reactive aggression in youth at varying levels of harsh discipline. Given that proactive aggression is used to gain power and status and the importance of social learning in its formation, we hypothesized that testosterone would be associated with proactive aggression at higher levels of harsh discipline, and that this relationship would be more pronounced in boys than girls. Participants (n = 445; 50% male; M age = 11.92 years; 80% African-American) and their caregivers completed questionnaires including demographics, conflict tactics, and proactive-reactive aggression. Youth also provided a saliva sample for testosterone. Analyses revealed an interaction between testosterone and harsh discipline on proactive aggression in both boys and girls, and an interaction between testosterone and harsh discipline on reactive aggression in boys only. For those experiencing high levels of harsh discipline, testosterone was positively associated with proactive aggression, with the magnitude of the association increasing as harsh discipline increased. For below average levels of harsh discipline, there were protective effects of high testosterone for boy's reactive aggression and for girl's proactive aggression. The findings support basic tenets of the biosocial model which suggest that links between testosterone and aggressive behavior are dependent on contextual forces, highlighting the complex relationship between hormones, social context, and aggression. Novel findings include protective effects of high testosterone for those exposed to low levels of harsh discipline. Findings are discussed in light of the context-contingency effect and also within the differential susceptibility framework.

The cognitive, affective, and somatic empathy scales (CASES): Cross-cultural replication and specificity to different forms of aggression and victimization

A psychometrically sound measure of empathy that captures its multifaceted nature is critical in furthering research on empathy. The only instrument that assesses three domains of empathy together with positive and negative valence empathy is the newly developed 30-item cognitive, affective, and somatic empathy scales (CASES). The current study examines the cross-culture generalizability of CASES in Hong Kong and explores links between empathy and different forms of aggression and peer victimization. A sample of 4,676 Hong Kong youth (62% male) completed CASES, alongside measures of reactive/proactive aggression and multidimensional peer victimization. A subsample of youth (n = 2,321-2,464) and their parents completed additional instruments for testing the validity of CASES. We replicated most of the concurrent, convergent, and discriminant validity findings in the original development of CASES. Proactive aggression was most strongly linked to affective empathy, whereas reactive aggression was most strongly linked to somatic empathy. Differential associations were revealed between subscales of CASES and forms of peer victimization. Findings provide cross-cultural generalizability for a brief self-report instrument that captures the multifaceted nature of empathy. The multifaceted nature of empathy is further supported by differential associations with forms of aggression and victimization.

Peer Problems and Low Self-esteem Mediate the Suspicious and Non-suspicious Schizotypy-Reactive Aggression Relationship in Children and Adolescents

The relationship between schizophrenia and violence has been well-established. Yet very little prior research exists on the factors that might explain the nature of this relationship and even fewer studies seek to clarify the etiology of aggressive behavior in adolescents with specific features of schizotypal personality that might help improve the specificity of intervention. The current study tested whether one dimension of schizotypy alone (i.e., the ‘suspicious’ feature) or the other 8 dimensions (i.e., the ‘non-suspicious’ features) were particularly associated with aggressive behaviors (reactive and proactive aggression), and if peer problems and low self-esteem mediated these relationships. A serial multiple mediation model testing the hypothesized flow from suspicious and non-suspicious schizotypy to peer problems to low self-esteem and to increased aggression was tested in Hong Kong schoolchildren aged 8- to 14-years (N = 1412; M_age = 11.47, SD = 1.67 years, female = 47.6%). Increased suspicious and non-suspicious schizotypal features were found to be independently associated with increased reactive aggression, but not proactive aggression. Children with high levels of suspicious schizotypy and non-suspicious schizotypy were more likely to have poor peer problems and low self-esteem concurrently, which in turn was associated with reactive aggression only. This explanatory model suggests that future longitudinal intervention studies that enhance self-esteem in schizotypal adolescents may potentially reduce co-morbid reactive aggressive behaviors too.

Midday napping in children: associations between nap frequency and duration across cognitive, positive psychological well-being, behavioral, and metabolic health outcomes

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Poor sleep and daytime sleepiness in children and adolescents have short- and long-term consequences on various aspects of health. Midday napping may be a useful strategy to reduce such negative impacts. The effect of habitual napping on a wide spectrum of cognitive, behavioral, psychological, and metabolic outcomes has not been systematically investigated.

METHODS

This study characterized midday napping habits in 3819 elementary school children from the China Jintan Cohort Study. In 2011, weekly nap frequency and average duration were collected once from students at grades 4-6. Prior to their completion of elementary school at grade 6 (in 2011-2013 respective to each grade), the following outcomes were collected once: behavioral and academic achievement evaluated by teachers, and self-reported positive psychology measures including grit, self-control, and happiness. IQ tests were conducted on a subgroup. Metabolic indices, including body mass index and fasting glucose concentration, were measured through physical exams. For the whole sample, we assessed associations between napping and each outcome, adjusted for sex, grade, school location, parental education, and time in bed at night. We also conducted stratified analyses on grade 6 (cross-sectional), grade 4 (2-year gap), and grade 5 (1-year gap) data.

RESULTS

Overall, napping was significantly associated with higher happiness, grit, and self-control, reduced internalizing behavior problem, higher verbal IQs, and better academic achievement, although specific patterns varied across frequency and duration for different outcomes. More limited significant associations were found for decreased externalizing behavior problems, compared to non-nappers, while no significant associations were found for performance IQ and metabolic outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Results indicate benefits of regular napping across a wide range of adolescent outcomes, including better cognition, better psychological wellness, and reduced emotional/behavioral problems. The current study underscores the need for further large-scale intervention studies to establish causal effects.

Early childhood head injury attenuates declines in impulsivity and aggression across adolescent development in twins

OBJECTIVE

Head injury during development has been associated with behavioral changes such as impulsivity and antisocial behavior. This study investigates the extent to which behavioral changes associated with childhood head injury are sustained through adolescence and emerging adulthood.

METHOD

Survey data was collected at 5 waves spanning 12 years (ages 9-20) from the University of Southern California Risk Factors for Antisocial Behavior twin study. Impulsivity was measured by errors of commission in a Go/NoGo behavioral task, and aggression was measured through youth self-report using the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire. Head injury was assessed retrospectively using caregiver questionnaires at twin ages 14-15 years and self-reported at ages 19-20 years.

RESULTS

Participants with a head injury in early childhood showed significant delay in the normative developmental decline of impulsivity relative to the noninjured by mid-adolescence (ages 14-15.) Moreover, earlier age at injury was related to a slower decrease in impulsivity and greater increase in reactive aggression scores. Finally, among discordant monozygotic twin pairs, the twin with a head injury experienced significantly less decline in impulsivity by ages 19-20 than the noninjured co-twin.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate early childhood head injury may play a significant role in blunting the decline in impulsivity across development, exposing an additional risk factor for antisocial behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

The neuromoral theory of antisocial, violent, and psychopathic behavior

The neuromoral theory of antisocial behaviors argues that impairment to the neural circuitry underlying morality provides a common foundation for antisocial, violent, and psychopathic behavior in children, adolescents, and adults. This article reviews new findings in two research fields since this theory was first proposed: brain mechanisms underlying moral decision-making, and brain systems subserving antisocial behaviors. The neuromoral theory is updated to take into account new empirical findings. Key areas implicated in both moral decision-making and the spectrum of antisocial behaviors include fronto-polar, medial, and ventral prefrontal cortical regions, and the anterior cingulate, amygdala, superior temporal gyrus, and angular gyrus / temporoparietal junction. It is hypothesized that different manifestations of antisocial behavior are characterized by differing degrees of neuromoral dysfunction, with primary psychopathy, proactive aggression, and life-course persistent offending being more affected, and secondary psychopathy, reactive aggression, and crimes involving drugs relatively less affected by neuromoral dysfunction. Limitations of the current model, social contextual factors, neural remediation interventions, ascertaining whether the affective or cognitive component of empathy is most implicated, and directions for future research are outlined. One forensic implication of the model is that significant impairment to the neuromoral circuit could constitute diminished criminal responsibility.

Genetic and environmental influences on disinhibition, boldness, and meanness as assessed by the triarchic psychopathy measure in 19-20-year-old twins

BACKGROUND

The Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM) provides Disinhibition, Boldness, and Meanness scales for assessing the three trait domains of the triarchic model. Here we examined the genetic and environmental etiology of these three domains, including evaluation of potential sex differences.

METHODS

A total of 1016 men and women ages 19-20 years were drawn from the University of Southern California Risk Factors for Antisocial Behavior twin study.

RESULTS

Scores for the three TriPM scales were correlated to differing degrees, with the strongest phenotypic correlation between Disinhibition and Meanness. No sex differences were found in the genetic and environmental influences underlying these three domains, suggesting that the same genes and life experiences contribute to these traits in young men and women. For TriPM Disinhibition and Boldness, genetic factors explained about half or less of the variance, with the rest of the variance being explained by non-shared environmental factors. For TriPM Meanness, on the other hand, genetic, shared environmental, and non-shared environmental factors accounted for the variance. The phenotypic correlation between Disinhibition and Meanness was explained in part by common genes (26%), with the remainder attributable about equally to common shared (39%), and non-shared environmental influences (35%).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings contribute to our understanding of psychopathic personality traits by demonstrating the importance of heritable factors for disinhibition and boldness facets of psychopathy, and the importance of shared environmental influences for the meanness facet.

The Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire - Child (SPQ-C): Psychometric properties and relations to behavioral problems with multi-informant ratings

The Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) is one of the most widely used screening tools for schizotypy in adults. The Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Child version (SPQ-C) was recently developed to assess schizotypy in children and has a similar three-factor structure to the adult SPQ (i.e., Cognitive-Perceptual, Interpersonal-Affective, and Disorganization). However, few studies to date have reported on the psychometric properties and the usefulness of the SPQ-C in Eastern populations, including Mainland China. This study presents the first psychometric assessment of the Chinese SPQ-C in Mainland China. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess the factor structure of the SPQ-C in 1668 children (M = 12.10, SD = 0.60 years) from the China Jintan Child Cohort Study. Our findings document a three-factor structure and partial measurement invariance across residential location and gender, replicating the psychometric properties of the SPQ-C in English. The Chinese SPQ-C further correlates with standard behavioral problems (i.e., Child Behavior Checklist, Youth Self-Report and Teacher Report Form), demonstrating construct validity and utility as a child psychopathology assessment tool. Our findings provide the first robust psychometric evidence for a three-factor structure of the Chinese SPQ-C in a large Mainland Chinese sample, and suggest that the SPQ-C is suitable as a screening tool for schizotypy in community children who may be at risk for behavioral problems and later psychosis.

An Item Response Theory Analysis and Further Validation of the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ): The Serbian Adaptation of the RPQ

The aim of this study was to further explore the psychometric properties of the Serbian adaptation of the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ) using item response theory to gain insight into measurement precision (information) and differential item functioning (DIF) across sexes. The sample consisted of 1,268 community-dwelling adults. Results confirmed a 2-factor structure and showed good reliabilities. Information of the reactive aggression scale covered a wider range of traits, but in the case of proactive aggression, it was limited in above-average and average levels of traits. Additionally, the impact of DIF on total scores was negligible. Furthermore, latent profile analysis showed that a clear proactive aggression profile could not be isolated, indicating that proactive aggression cooccurs with reactive aggression. However, both scales evidenced differential correlates. Reactive aggression was positively associated with anger and hostility and was negatively associated with agreeableness and forgiveness, whereas proactive aggression was positively related to indirect aggression and negatively to honesty-humility and emotionality. Taken together, although information for the proactive aggression scale is problematic, results overall support the 2-factor model of the RPQ and unbiased scale scores across sexes, and add further to the validity and cross-cultural generalizability of this scale.