New research suggests that callous and unemotional (CU) traits associated with psychopathy can be detected in children as young as three. A study led by Dr Eva Kimonis from the University of New South Wales evaluated over 200 children aged three to six using parent and teacher questionnaires and computer programs. The findings, published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, revealed that 10 per cent of children showed signs of CU traits, including lack of empathy, affection and remorse.
Dr Kimonis explained that preschoolers with impaired conscience development process emotions similarly to older adolescents and adults with psychopathic traits. These children struggle to recognise others' emotional expressions and do not pay attention to images of people in distress, unlike typically developing children. The aim of early detection is not pharmacological intervention but to coach parents in warm, involved and loving behaviour to reduce callous traits over time.
Another study by King's College London, published in Biological Psychiatry, tracked visual preferences in five-week-old babies. Researchers observed whether infants preferred looking at a red ball or a human face, then tested them for CU traits at age two and a half. Babies who preferred the object were more likely to exhibit CU traits later, a potential precursor for severe antisocial behaviour. However, a visual preference for objects could also indicate developmental issues such as autism.
Lead author Dr Rachael Bedford noted that even at five weeks, children have individual preferences and emotional styles. The study also found that supportive and warm parenting significantly reduced the chances of infants developing problematic traits. These findings could help understand how parenting promotes healthy emotional development in children.
