Cited by 188Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual OffendingChild Abuse and TraumaPosttraumatic Stress Disorder Research

“Nothing really matters”: Emotional numbing as a link between trauma exposure and callousness in delinquent youth

Kerig, Patricia K., Bennett, Diana C., Thompson, Mamie, Becker, Stephen P.·2012·Journal of Traumatic Stress

Abstract

This study investigated the interrelations among trauma exposure, emotional numbing, and callous–unemotional traits in a sample of 276 youth (68 girls and 208 boys) recruited from 2 juvenile detention centers. Youth completed interview measures of trauma exposure and betrayal trauma, as well as self‐report measures of emotional numbing and callous–unemotional traits. Results of path analyses using nonparametric bootstrapping procedures indicated findings consistent with the hypothesis that the association between trauma exposure and callous–unemotional traits was mediated by the general numbing of emotions, R2 = .40, and also specifically by numbing of sadness, R2 = .27. In addition, further analyses indicated that numbing of fear, R2 = .18, and sadness, R2 = .26, statistically mediated the relations to callous–unemotional traits only for those traumatic experiences involving betrayal. Gender was not found to moderate these effects.

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Crossref · 10.1002/jts.21700

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49 of 49 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Research with much younger samples has found support for the mediational role of reexperiencing in externalizing behaviors and aggression/violence.

    “research with much younger samples have found support for the mediational role of reexperiencing in externalizing behaviors and aggression/violence (Allwood & Bell, 2008; Kerig et al., 2012).”
  • Prior studies that measured symptoms of avoidance and numbing together as a single PTSS cluster may have overlooked the significant role of active avoidance, as well as the need to specifically target these symptoms in treatment.

    “More specifically, prior studies that measured symptoms of avoidance and numbing together as a single PTSS cluster may have overlooked the significant role of active avoidance (Kerig et al., 2012), as well as the need to specifically target these symptoms in treatment.”

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Authors
Kerig, P. K., Bennett, D. C., Thompson, M., & Becker, S. P.
Affiliations
  • University of Utah (US)
  • Miami University (US)
Corresponding author
Kerig, Patricia K.
Venue
Journal of Traumatic Stress
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2012-05-21
Volume
25
Issue
3
Pages
272-279
ISSN
  • 0894-9867 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-6598
OpenAlex
W2085652419
Cited by
188
References
49
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 2
FWCI
9.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Traumatic Stress (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
Keywords
emotional numbing, callous-unemotional traits, trauma exposure, betrayal trauma, juvenile delinquency, juvenile offenders, mediation, sadness, fear, gender differences
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Child, Female, Humans, Juvenile Delinquency, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, United States, Wounds and Injuries, Apathy

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