“The student will always be a problem”: callous-unemotional traits are associated with specific dimensions of teacher attributions

Georgette E. Fleming; Antonia L. Boulton; Kelly A. Kershaw; Ashneeta H. Prasad; Eva R. Kimonis

doi:10.1016/j.tate.2024.104912

“The student will always be a problem”: callous-unemotional traits are associated with specific dimensions of teacher attributions

Georgette E. Fleming^*, Antonia L. Boulton, Kelly A. Kershaw, Ashneeta H. Prasad, Eva R. Kimonis

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Psychological Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

This study investigated associations between student callous-unemotional (CU) traits and teacher attributions for misbehavior. Participants were N = 151 elementary school educators who completed a survey assessing a nominated student's psychopathology and CU traits, student-teacher relationship quality, and teacher attributions. Using multiple regression, higher CU traits were associated with lower student-teacher closeness and higher conflict. Both conduct problems and CU traits were positively associated with teachers' attributions of student misbehavior to dispositional causes. CU traits alone were positively associated with attributions regarding the permanence of misbehavior. Findings may have theoretical and practical implications for the development and management of student CU traits.

Original language	English
Article number	104912
Pages (from-to)	1-9
Number of pages	9
Journal	Teaching and Teacher Education
Volume	155
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2024.104912
Publication status	Published - Mar 2025

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2024. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

callous-unemotional traits
conduct problems
limited prosocial emotions
student-teacher relationship
teacher attributions

Access to Document

10.1016/j.tate.2024.104912Licence: CC BY

Publisher version (open access)Final published version, 685 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "“The student will always be a problem”: callous-unemotional traits are associated with specific dimensions of teacher attributions",

abstract = "This study investigated associations between student callous-unemotional (CU) traits and teacher attributions for misbehavior. Participants were N = 151 elementary school educators who completed a survey assessing a nominated student's psychopathology and CU traits, student-teacher relationship quality, and teacher attributions. Using multiple regression, higher CU traits were associated with lower student-teacher closeness and higher conflict. Both conduct problems and CU traits were positively associated with teachers' attributions of student misbehavior to dispositional causes. CU traits alone were positively associated with attributions regarding the permanence of misbehavior. Findings may have theoretical and practical implications for the development and management of student CU traits.",

keywords = "callous-unemotional traits, conduct problems, limited prosocial emotions, student-teacher relationship, teacher attributions",

author = "Fleming, {Georgette E.} and Boulton, {Antonia L.} and Kershaw, {Kelly A.} and Prasad, {Ashneeta H.} and Kimonis, {Eva R.}",

note = "Copyright the Author(s) 2024. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.",

year = "2025",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1016/j.tate.2024.104912",

language = "English",

volume = "155",

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journal = "Teaching and Teacher Education",

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T2 - callous-unemotional traits are associated with specific dimensions of teacher attributions

AU - Fleming, Georgette E.

AU - Boulton, Antonia L.

AU - Kershaw, Kelly A.

AU - Prasad, Ashneeta H.

AU - Kimonis, Eva R.

N1 - Copyright the Author(s) 2024. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2025/3

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N2 - This study investigated associations between student callous-unemotional (CU) traits and teacher attributions for misbehavior. Participants were N = 151 elementary school educators who completed a survey assessing a nominated student's psychopathology and CU traits, student-teacher relationship quality, and teacher attributions. Using multiple regression, higher CU traits were associated with lower student-teacher closeness and higher conflict. Both conduct problems and CU traits were positively associated with teachers' attributions of student misbehavior to dispositional causes. CU traits alone were positively associated with attributions regarding the permanence of misbehavior. Findings may have theoretical and practical implications for the development and management of student CU traits.

AB - This study investigated associations between student callous-unemotional (CU) traits and teacher attributions for misbehavior. Participants were N = 151 elementary school educators who completed a survey assessing a nominated student's psychopathology and CU traits, student-teacher relationship quality, and teacher attributions. Using multiple regression, higher CU traits were associated with lower student-teacher closeness and higher conflict. Both conduct problems and CU traits were positively associated with teachers' attributions of student misbehavior to dispositional causes. CU traits alone were positively associated with attributions regarding the permanence of misbehavior. Findings may have theoretical and practical implications for the development and management of student CU traits.

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KW - conduct problems

KW - limited prosocial emotions

KW - student-teacher relationship

KW - teacher attributions

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JF - Teaching and Teacher Education

M1 - 104912

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“The student will always be a problem”: callous-unemotional traits are associated with specific dimensions of teacher attributions

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Improving mental health and wellbeing in diverse children with disruptive disorders: A co-designed school-based early intervention involving parent-teacher collaboration

Cite this

“The student will always be a problem”: callous-unemotional traits are associated with specific dimensions of teacher attributions

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Projects

Improving mental health and wellbeing in diverse children with disruptive disorders: A co-designed school-based early intervention involving parent-teacher collaboration

Cite this