The British Journal of Psychiatry (2009) 195: 414-419. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.108.061192
© 2009 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Negative parental discipline, conduct problems and callous–unemotional traits: monozygotic twin differences study

Essi Viding, PhD

Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London and Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, UK

Nathalie M. G. Fontaine, PhD

Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, UK, and Department of Criminal Justice, Indiana University, Indiana, USA

Bonamy R. Oliver, PhD and Robert Plomin, PhD

Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, UK

Correspondence: Essi Viding, PhD, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AP, UK. Email: e.viding{at}ucl.ac.uk

Declaration of interest

None.

Background

Negative parenting practices may be an environmental risk factor for subsequent conduct problems. Research on the association between parenting practices and callous–unemotional traits, a risk factor for conduct problems, has produced mixed findings.

Aims

To investigate whether negative parental discipline is a non-shared environmental risk factor for the development of conduct problems and callous–unemotional traits.

Method

Longitudinal, multi-informant data from a community sample of twins were analysed using the monozygotic (MZ) twin differences design for 4508 twins (2254 twin pairs).

Results

Within MZ twin pairs, the twin receiving more negative parental discipline at 7 years had more conduct problems (but not more callous–unemotional traits) at 12 years.

Conclusions

During the transition to early adolescence, negative parental discipline operates as a non-shared environmental risk factor for development of conduct problems, but not for the development of callous–unemotional traits.