An Ecological Neurodevelopmental Model of the Development of Youth Antisocial Behavior and Callous-Unemotional Traits

Research has begun to identify genetic, environmental, and neurocognitive risk factors related to the development of youth antisocial behavior (aggression, rule-breaking). We review environmental and genetic risk factors for the development of antisocial behavior and related outcomes (e.g., callous-unemotional traits), as well as provide an overview of neural correlates of antisocial behavior. Next, we connect these findings to work in developmental neuroscience linking exposure to adversity to brain structure and function. Then we integrate across these literatures to provide a multilevel model of the development of antisocial behavior that includes transactions between genetic and environmental risk that shape brain development. Throughout, we focus on how pathways may differ for youth with different subtypes of antisocial behavior (e.g., early-onset) with a particular focus on callous-unemotional traits. We end by identifying challenges and future directions for the field.