Callous-unemotional and borderline traits in nonclinical adolescents: Personality profiles and relations to antisocial behaviors

Callous-unemotional and borderline traits, antisocial behaviors, depressive symptoms and social anxiety were assessed in 972 high-school students. Cluster analysis yielded four groups: a low traits group, a second group that was above the mean in callous-unemotional traits and below the mean in borderline traits (moderate callous-unemotional traits cluster), a third group that was well above the mean in borderline traits but low on callous-unemotional traits (borderline traits cluster), and a fourth group that was high on both traits (high traits cluster). The high traits cluster was characterized by the highest level of antisocial behaviors and shared with the borderline traits cluster a high level of depressive symptoms and social anxiety. The moderate callous-unemotional traits cluster and the borderline traits cluster had similar levels of antisocial behaviors that were higher than those of the low traits cluster. This study suggests that there is a significant minority of non-clinical adolescents characterized by the presence of both callous-unemotional and borderline traits, and higher levels of antisocial behaviors and emotional distress.

► We measured psychopathic and borderline traits in 972 high-school students.
► Cluster analysis yielded four groups.
► They were: low traits, mild psychopathic, borderline, and high traits clusters.
► The high traits cluster had the highest level of antisocial behavior.
► The high traits cluster had a high level of depressive symptoms and social anxiety.