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. 2017 Mar;47(2):141-151.
doi: 10.1007/s10519-016-9831-1. Epub 2016 Dec 1.

The Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU) in Children: Reliability and Heritability

Ashlee A Moore  1   2 , Dever Carney  3 , Elizabeth Moroney  4 , Laura Machlin  4 , Kenneth E Towbin  4 , Melissa A Brotman  4 , Daniel S Pine  4 , Ellen Leibenluft  4 , Roxann Roberson-Nay  3   5 , John M Hettema  3   5
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The Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU) in Children: Reliability and Heritability

Ashlee A Moore et al. Behav Genet. 2017 Mar.

Abstract

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits comprise the core symptoms of psychopathy, yet no study has estimated the heritability of CU traits in a community sample of children using an instrument designed solely to assess CU traits. The current study uses data from 339 twin pairs aged 9-14 to examine the reliability and heritability of the parent-report Inventory of Callous-unemotional Traits (ICU) at two assessments approximately 3 weeks apart. Time-specific measurement error was taken into account to obtain a more accurate estimate of the heritability reflecting the latent liability to CU traits. Test-retest reliability was 0.84 and heritability at visit 1 was 39%. The heritability of the latent liability to CU traits was 47%. This latent liability contributed 79% of the variance in ICU score at visit 1 and visit 2. This is the first study to account for measurement error while examining the heritability of CU traits, furthering our understanding of psychopathy in children.

Keywords: Callous-unemotional traits; Heritability; Measurement model; Reliability; Twins.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of ICU Sum Scores in the Total Sample*
Figure 2
Figure 2
Measurement Model
Figure 3
Figure 3
Best-Fit Measurement Model Estimates
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