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Research anti-social behaviour in children makes genetic links

New research from Indiana University shows that children who are at high risk of antisocial behaviour display a lack of emotion, empathy, and guilt, while also exhibiting persistent conduct problems.

The study’s authors have branded the behaviours as “callous-unemotional” (CU) traits. Their findings show that CU traits are experienced by about 5 to 10 percent of children and are for the most part influenced by genetic factors in boys but by environmental factors in girls.

The study also finds that high levels of both CU traits and conduct problems are associated with negative child and family factors at age 4 and with behavioral problems at age 12.

Read more at Journal of Abnormal Psychology

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