Callous Unemotional Traits, Gender, and Academic Performance (1 CE)

Number of Credits: 1

This course is for: Clinical Psychologists, Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists, and School Psychologists

Course By: Ken Springer, PhD

Content By:  Bird, E., Chhoa, C. Y., Midouhas, E., & Allen, J. L. (2019). Callous-unemotional traits and  academic performance in secondary school students: Examining the moderating effect of gender. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, (47), 1639-1650.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-019-00545-2

Course Description: Prior research has identified a link between callous-unemotional (CU) traits and poor academic performance. The present study examined whether this relationship is stronger for boys than for girls at the secondary school level. Analyses of questionnaire data and student grades revealed the expected association between CU traits and academic performance, even when socioeconomic background and externalizing problems were controlled for. The researchers also found that CU traits were more strongly related to boys' performance in science classes, but that gender did not affect the relationship between CU traits and performance in English or math classes. The results have implications for school-focused interventions designed to support students with CU traits.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the rationale for the study and the methods used to obtain information about CU traits, academic performance, and other study variables
• Describe the main findings of the study concerning the link between CU traits and academic performance, and how this link is affected by gender
• Integrate the strengths and limitations of the study, and summarize the practical implications for supporting the academic functioning of students with CU traits

Course Outline:

• Read and understand Callous-unemotional traits and academic performance in secondary school students: Examining the moderating effect of gender
• Review the Course Description and Learning Objectives
• Analyze the rationale for studying whether gender affects the relationship between CU traits and academic performance
• Analyze the methods used to measure CU traits, academic performance, socioeconomic background, and externalizing problems
• Summarize the influence of gender on the association between CU traits and academic performance
• Integrate the study's key findings, strengths, limitations, and practical implications
• Work through the post-test questions, using the article as the sole basis for your answers
• Revisit the article for any missed questions and/or to better understand how gender affects the relationship between CU traits and academic performance

Approvals: