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

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 callous- unemotional 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, callous- unemotional 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 multi- stage random sampling. Data collection was carried out using some instruments including the child behavior checklist (CBCL), difficulties in emotion-regulation scale (DERS) inventory of callous- unemotional 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, callous- unemotional traits and schema with conduct disorder. In addition, the results of multivariate regression analysis showed that among the above-mentioned variables studied, callous- unemotional 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 associa- tion between callous- unemotional traits, emotion regulation and schema with conduct disorder.