The Origins of the Dark-Hyperactivity and Negative Peer Relationships, an Objectively Lower Sleep Efficiency, and a Longer Sleep Onset Latency at Age Five Were Associated with Callous-Unemotional Traits and Low Empathy at Age 14

Larina Eisenhut; Dena Sadeghi-Bahmani; Vinh Tong Ngo; Thorsten Mikoteit; Annette Beatrix Brühl; Christina Stadler; Kenneth M Dürsteler; Martin Hatzinger; Serge Brand

doi:10.3390/jcm12062248

The Origins of the Dark-Hyperactivity and Negative Peer Relationships, an Objectively Lower Sleep Efficiency, and a Longer Sleep Onset Latency at Age Five Were Associated with Callous-Unemotional Traits and Low Empathy at Age 14

J Clin Med. 2023 Mar 14;12(6):2248. doi: 10.3390/jcm12062248.

Authors

Larina Eisenhut¹, Dena Sadeghi-Bahmani^{2

3}, Vinh Tong Ngo^{1

4}, Thorsten Mikoteit⁵, Annette Beatrix Brühl¹, Christina Stadler⁶, Kenneth M Dürsteler^{4

7}, Martin Hatzinger⁵, Serge Brand^{1

3

8

9

10

11}

Affiliations

¹ Center for Affective, Stress and Sleep Disorders (ZASS), Psychiatric University Hospital Basel (UPK), 4002 Basel, Switzerland.
² Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
³ Sleep Disorders Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), Kermanshah 6714869914, Iran.
⁴ Centre for Addictive Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland.
⁵ Psychiatric Services Solothurn, University of Basel, 4503 Solothurn, Switzerland.
⁶ Child and Adolescent Research Department, Psychiatric University Hospital Basel (UPK), 4002 Basel, Switzerland.
⁷ Division of Substance Use Disorders, Psychiatric University Hospital Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland.
⁸ Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), Kermanshah 6714869914, Iran.
⁹ Division of Sport Science and Psychosocial Health, Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland.
¹⁰ School of Medicine, Teheran University of Medical Sciences, Teheran 1417466191, Iran.
¹¹ Center for Disaster Psychiatry and Disaster Psychology, Psychiatric University Hospital Basel (UPK), 4002 Basel, Switzerland.

Abstract

Background: Within the spectrum of emotional competencies, callous-unemotional traits are socially discouraged, while empathy is considered a socially much more accepted emotional trait. This holds particularly true for adolescents, who are still building up their social and emotional competencies. The aims of the present study were two-fold: First, longitudinally, to identify traits of behavioral problems and objective sleep dimensions at the age of 5 years to predict callous-unemotional traits and empathy at the age of 14 years. Second, cross-sectionally, to associate callous-unemotional traits and empathy with current insomnia, stress, and mental toughness.

Methods: Preschoolers at the age of 5 years were contacted nine years later at the age of 14 years. At 5 years, parents rated their children's behavior (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ); in parallel, children underwent a one-night sleep-EEG assessment. At the age of 14 years, adolescents completed a series of questionnaires covering callous-unemotional traits, insomnia, empathy, stress, and mental toughness.

Results: A total of 77 adolescents (38.1% females) took part in the present study. Longitudinally, higher scores for hyperactivity at age 5 significantly predicted higher callous-unemotional traits at age 14. A higher score for negative peer relationships at age 5 significantly predicted lower scores for cognitive empathy at age 14. Further, objective sleep-EEG measures showed that a higher sleep efficiency and a shorter sleep latency was associated with lower scores for callousness. Cross-sectionally, higher scores for callous-unemotional traits were associated with higher insomnia and stress, while lower insomnia was associated with higher empathy. Mental toughness was unrelated to callous-unemotional traits and empathy.

Conclusions: It appears that hyperactivity traits and negative peer relationships and more unfavorable objective sleep patterns at 5 years predicted socially discouraged callous-unemotional traits and low empathy during adolescence. Further, cross-sectionally at the age of 14, callous-unemotional traits, subjective poor sleep, and higher stress were associated.

Keywords: callous-unemotional traits; empathy; longitudinal study; objective sleep.

Abstract

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