Predicting Tending to Callous-Unemotional Traits Based on Empathy, Social Anxiety Disorder and Bullying in Students

Although callous-unemotional traits plays a crucial role in the development of adolescent trauma, little information is available about mediators and their predictors.

The current study aimed to predict male students’ CU traits based on empathy, bullying, and social anxiety behavior.

Statistical population of this research was the high school male students in 14 districts of Tehran in the third and fourth high school year for 97.96 academic year. Participants were selected using the multi-stage cluster sampling method. The inventory of callous-unemotional traits (ICUT), Illinois bullying scale (IBS), empathy questionnaire, and social anxiety inventory were used to meet the study’s objectives. Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression were used to analyze the data.

According to the results, bullying (r = 0.24) has a positive,meaningful association with callous-unemotional traits, empathy (r = -0.33), and social anxiety (r = -0.17). Besides, it is negatively associated with CU traits. (P < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that empathy, bullying, and social anxiety predict the 0.25 variance of the callous-unemotional traits.

Based on the results, lack of empathy, social anxiety, and bullying are significant risk factors for the emergence of CU traits.