Journal Article

Social information use in adolescents with conduct problems and varying levels of callous‐unemotional traits

Bevilacqua, Leonardo, Viding, Essi, Molleman, Lucas, den Bos, Wouter van, Duijvenvoorde, Anna C. van, McCrory, Eamon J., Roberts, Ruth, Gaule, Anne

2022

Overview

Background Adolescents with conduct problems (CP) are characterised by difficulties with social relationships and display atypical social cognition, such as when interpreting emotional expressions or engaging in social problem‐solving. One important aspect of social cognition that warrants investigation is the degree to which these adolescents factor others' views into their already held beliefs, and strategies used to do so. Effective social information use enables attunement to social environment, cooperation, and social problem‐solving. Difficulties in this regard could contribute to problems in social interactions in adolescents with CP, and may vary with adolescents' high (CP/HCU) versus low levels of callous‐unemotional traits (CP/LCU). Methods We compared social information use in boys (11–16 years) with CP/HCU (n = 32), CP/LCU (n = 31) and typically developing (TD) peers (n = 45), matched for IQ. Participants provided estimates of numbers of animals on a screen, saw another adolescent's estimate, and could adjust their initial estimate. We compared two aspects of social information use: (1) degree of adjustment of initial estimate towards another's estimate and (2) strategy use when adjusting estimates. Results Degree of adjustment towards another's estimate did not vary across groups, but strategy use did. Adolescents with CP/LCU compromised less following social information than TD peers. Conclusions Findings suggest that while adolescents with CP are able to take social information into account, those with CP/LCU use this information in a way that differs from other groups and could be less efficient. This warrants further systematic investigation as it could represent a target for behaviour management strategies. Overall, this study highlights the need for more research delineating the social‐cognitive profile of adolescents with CP/LCU. Adolescents with Conduct Problems (CP) are characterised by antisocial behaviour and difficulty with social relationships, and their presentation can vary depending on whether they have high (CP/HCU) vs low levels of callous‐unemotional traits (CP/LCU). This study examines social information use (degree of adjustment of beliefs in response to social information and strategy used to do so) in adolescents with CP/HCU, CP/LCU, and typically developing (TD) peers. While all groups adjusted beliefs in response to social information to the same degree as TD adolescents, CP/LCU adolescents used fewer compromising strategies when doing so. This finding provides a potential explanation for social difficulties in children with CP/LCU and suggests avenues for future research that have the potential to inform behaviour management for this group. It also adds to the evidence base indicating heterogeneity among children with CP.

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc,John Wiley and Sons Inc,Wiley
• Subject: Adjustment / Antisocial personality disorder / callous‐unemotional traits / Child development / conduct problems / Estimates / Feedback / Original / Other / Problem solving / social cognition / Social goals / Teenagers