Référence
Bégin, V., Fleming, G.E., Martin-Storey, A. et al. (2026) Bidirectional Within-Person Associations Between Callous-Unemotional Traits and Student-Teacher Relationships Across Elementary School. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 54, 60.
Résumé
Callous-unemotional (CU) traits characterize a distinct subgroup of children with conduct problems and are linked to poorer quality student-teacher relationships. Knowledge is lacking, however, about the directional dynamics underlying these associations at the within-person level. To address this gap, we examined the within-person associations between CU traits and teacher-child closeness and conflict across elementary school, as well as the invariance of these associations across sexes and reception of specialized services for conduct problems. Data from 463 at-risk children (46.2% girls, 8.35 years at study intake) were collected annually from elementary school teachers and used to conduct random-intercepts cross-lagged panel models decomposing between- from within-person associations between CU traits and teacher-child closeness, and CU traits and teacher-child conflict. Besides associations at the between-person level, these models revealed significant correlations between the within-person components of CU traits and teacher-child closeness, as well as between those of CU traits and teacher-child conflict. Cross-lagged estimates revealed bidirectional within-person associations between CU traits and teacher–child closeness among boys, unidirectional within-person associations from CU traits to teacher–child closeness among girls, and bidirectional within-person associations between CU traits and teacher–child conflict that were invariant across sexes. All models were invariant across reception of specialized services. These results provide further evidence for bidirectional associations between CU traits and student-teacher relationships quality. Interventions deployed within school settings should aim to support teachers in building and maintaining positive relationships and avoiding coercive and conflictual cycles with children presenting these traits to promote better developmental and educational outcomes.
