Conduct Disorder in Student: The Predicting Role of Emotion Regulation, Callous-Unemotional Traits and Schema

Abstract

Background: The fact that emotional dysregulation and early maladaptive schemas are considered as the defining core of conduct disorder has been validated through numerous studies. A strong association between the diagnosis of conduct disorder and callousunemotional traits has also been found by numerous studies. Objectives: This study was carried out in order to inspect the relationship between conduct disorder and emotion regulation, callousunemotional traits, and schema in male high-school students in Dezfoul, SW Iran. Methods: In the present descriptive correlational study, 320 male high school students were chosen in Dezfoul, using the multistage random sampling. Data collection was carried out using some instruments including the child behavior checklist (CBCL), difficulties in emotion-regulation scale (DERS) inventory of callousunemotional traits (ICUT) young schema questionnaire-short form. The collected data were analyzed using multivariate regression analysis and the pearson correlation coefficient. Results: The results indicated a meaningfully positive correlation between emotion regulation, callousunemotional traits and schema with conduct disorder. In addition, the results of multivariate regression analysis showed that among the above-mentioned variables studied, callousunemotional trait was found to be the most effective predicting variable in conduct disorder (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The findings of this study are in full agreement with those of previous ones, and basically show a significant association between callousunemotional traits, emotion regulation and schema with conduct disorder.