Callous-unemotional traits and the five factor model in adolescents

- Each subscale of the ICU is mainly linked to a different personality domain.
- Callousness is associated to behavioural problems beyond the domains of the FFM.
- Relations of Unemotional with FFM are inconsistent with the CU construct.
- On the whole, results cast doubts on the validity of the Unemotional scale.

Callous-unemotional traits are the focus of huge attention in studies of behavioural problems. Although the most popular measure of these traits (i.e. the Inventory of Callous Unemotional Traits, ICU) has been widely used, further studies are required to relate the ICU to general models of personality. This study, involving a sample of 910 adolescents within the general population, analyses the relationship between the self-reported ICU and the different domains and facets of the Five Factor Model. The results enable identification of the profile of facets associated with each subscale of the ICU and show that each subscale is mainly associated with a different personality domain: Callousness with Agreeableness, Uncaring with Conscientiousness, and Unemotional with Extraversion. We also found that Callousness is significantly associated with a variety of behavioural problems (reactive and proactive aggression, substance use) beyond the domains of the Five Factor Model. However, the inconsistency of the Unemotional subscale with the underlying construct is revealed by the specific pattern of relations between Unemotional and 1) personality traits and 2) behavioural problems. The need to refine the measurement of Unemotional traits within the ICU is highlighted.