# Callous–Unemotional Traits and Conduct Problems in Children: The Role of Strength and Positive Characteristics

## TL;DR

This study explores how strengths like self-regulation can protect children with callous traits from developing conduct problems.

## Contribution

The study introduces self-regulation as a protective factor against conduct problems in children with callous traits.

## Key findings

- Self-regulation significantly mediates the link between callous traits and conduct problems.
- No mediation effects were found for self-competence, empathy, or responsibility.
- The findings highlight the importance of fostering self-regulation in at-risk children.

## Abstract

In recent decades, many researchers have focused on the development of Conduct Problems from childhood to adolescence. Understanding behavior problems also requires an understanding of well-regulated characteristics. Focusing our assessment on strengths makes it possible, on the one hand, to help children or adolescents with deficits in important areas (e.g., socio-emotional deficits) to develop emotional regulation skills and adapt their responses to different contexts. This study aims to understand the role of self-competence, self-regulation, empathy, and responsibility (strength variables) in the relationship between Callous Unemotional characteristics and Conduct Problems, with a sample of 236 children aged between 3 and 10 years (M = 7.51, SD = 1.63), through mediation analysis. In general, our findings suggest that self-regulation significantly explains the relationship between the callous dimension of the Inventory of Callous–Unemotional Traits and Conduct Problems, pointing out that this strength variable seems to act as a protective factor against the development of behavior problems. No other mediation effects were found, and these results are considered in light of some limitations.