Essi Viding
Biographic Data
| ID | 7219529 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Essi Viding |
| GIVEN NAMES | Essi |
| FAMILY NAME | Viding |
| SIGNATURE | VIDING E |
| AFFILIATIONS | Division of Psychology and Language Sciences University College London London UK |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-8468-8874 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 23 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 0 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 23 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2004 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 0 |
The nature and nurture of primary and secondary callous–unemotional traits
BACKGROUND: Callous-unemotional (CU) traits identify youth with more severe and chronic trajectories of conduct problems. However, the etiology of CU traits may be heterogeneous, undermining the search for effective treatments. The level of co-occurring anxiety has been used to identify "primary" (lower anxiety) versus "secondary" (higher anxiety) variants of CU traits. The primary variant has been hypothesized to emerge from strong genetic influ…
Long‐term follow‐up of a randomised controlled trial of a brief home‐based parenting intervention to reduce behavioural problems in young children
BACKGROUND: Behaviour problems are common in childhood and are associated with higher rates of mental health problems, educational and relationship difficulties throughout life. This study assessed whether a Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) has sustained benefit 6 years after delivery. It had previously been shown to reduce behavioural problems in children aged 2 and 4 years old. METHODS…
Childhood maltreatment is associated with lower exploration and disrupted prefrontal activity and connectivity during reward learning in volatile environments
BACKGROUND: Atypical reward processing is implicated in a range of psychiatric disorders associated with childhood maltreatment and may represent a latent vulnerability mechanism. In this longitudinal study, we investigated the impact of maltreatment on behavioural and neural indices of reward learning in volatile environments and examined associations with future psychopathology assessed 18 months later. METHODS: Thirty-seven children and adoles…
Examining longitudinal associations between interpersonal outcomes and general psychopathology factors across preadolescence using random intercept cross‐lagged panel model
BACKGROUND: Interpersonal outcomes and mental health problems are closely associated. However, their reciprocal influence has not been directly examined while considering the temporal stability of these constructs, as well as shared and unique variance associated with internalising, externalising and attention problems. Using random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM), we tested the hypotheses that negative bidirectional associations at…
Positive and negative parenting practices and offspring disruptive behavior
Disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) are common in childhood and adolescence, with global estimates of 5.7%. While parenting practices are associated with DBDs, it is not clear whether these associations reflect causal effects or confounding. To strengthen causal inference, we meta-analyzed quasi-experimental evidence on the relationship between parenting practices and DBD symptoms. We conducted multilevel random-effects meta-analyses to pool res…
Evaluating the sensitivity to threat and affiliative reward ( STAR ) model in relation to the development of conduct problems and callous‐unemotional traits across early adolescence
BACKGROUND: The Sensitivity to Threat and Affiliative Reward (STAR) model proposes low threat sensitivity and low affiliation as risk factors for callous-unemotional (CU) traits. Preliminary evidence for the STAR model comes from work in early childhood. However, studies are needed that explore the STAR dimensions in late childhood and adolescence when severe conduct problems (CP) emerge. Moreover, it is unclear how variability across the full sp…
Reduced prosocial motivation and effort in adolescents with conduct problems and callous‐unemotional traits
BACKGROUND: Prosocial behaviours - acts that benefit others - are of crucial importance for many species including humans. However, adolescents with conduct problems (CP), unlike their typically developing (TD) peers, demonstrate markedly reduced engagement in prosocial behaviours. This pattern is particularly pronounced in adolescents with CP and high levels of callous-unemotional traits (CP/HCU) who are at increased risk of developing psychopat…
Explaining the influence of non‐shared environment ( NSE ) on symptoms of behaviour problems from preschool to adulthood
BACKGROUND: Individual differences in symptoms of behaviour problems in childhood and adolescence are not primarily due to nature or nurture - another substantial source of variance is non-shared environment (NSE). However, few specific environmental factors have been found to account for these NSE estimates. This creates a 'missing NSE' gap analogous to the 'missing heritability' gap, which refers to the shortfall in identifying DNA differences …
Child Maltreatment, Peer Victimization, and Mental Health
Children who experience maltreatment are at increased risk of revictimization across the life span. In childhood, this risk often manifests as peer victimization. Understanding the nature of this risk, and its impact on mental health, is critical if we are to provide effective support for those children who are most vulnerable. A systematic scoping review was conducted using Google Scholar and PsycINFO. Studies on adults, psychiatric, and/or inpa…
Genetic algorithms reveal identity independent representation of emotional expressions
People readily and automatically process facial emotion and identity, and it has been reported that these cues are processed both dependently and independently. However, this question of identity independent encoding of emotions has only been examined using posed, often exaggerated expressions of emotion, that do not account for the substantial individual differences in emotion recognition. In this study, we ask whether people's unique beliefs of…
Commentary
The synthesis of quantitative genetics and molecular genetics is transforming research in the behavioural sciences. The ability to measure inherited DNA differences directly has led to polygenic scores and to new methods to estimate heritability and genetic correlations. This issue provides examples of how these advances can be appllied to research on gene‐environment interplay in developmental psychopathology
Using DNA to predict behaviour problems from preschool to adulthood
BACKGROUND: One goal of the DNA revolution is to predict problems in order to prevent them. We tested here if the prediction of behaviour problems from genome-wide polygenic scores (GPS) can be improved by creating composites across ages and across raters and by using a multi-GPS approach that includes GPS for adult psychiatric disorders as well as for childhood behaviour problems. METHOD: Our sample included 3,065 genotyped unrelated individuals…
Trust and childhood maltreatment
BACKGROUND: Child maltreatment is associated with poorer social functioning and increased risk of mental health problems in adolescence and adulthood, but the processes underlying these associations remain unclear. Although crucial for establishing and maintaining relationships, trust judgements have not been experimentally investigated in children who have experienced abuse and neglect. METHODS: A community-based sample of 75 children aged 8-16 …
Genetic and environmental influences on the developmental trajectory of callous‐unemotional traits from childhood to adolescence
BACKGROUND: This study examined the genetic and environmental influences underlying baseline level and developmental course of callous-unemotional (CU) traits across childhood and adolescence. METHODS: The data on 8,958 twin pairs (3,108 MZ twin pairs and 5,850 DZ twin pairs) from the Twins Early Development Study were analysed. CU traits were assessed at ages 7, 9, 12 and 16 by mothers and analysed using a biometric latent growth model. RESULTS:…
Callous-Unemotional Traits Moderate Anticipated Guilt and Wrongness Judgments to Everyday Moral Transgressions in Adolescents
Callous-unemotional (CU) traits observed during childhood and adolescence are thought to be precursors of psychopathic traits in adulthood. Adults with high levels of psychopathic traits typically present antisocial behavior. Such behavior can be indicative of atypical moral processing. Evidence suggests that moral dysfunction in these individuals may stem from a disruption of affective components of moral processing rather than from an inability…
Prevalence of conduct problems and social risk factors in ethnically diverse inner-city schools
Conduct problems are markedly more common in inner-city schools, and variations in the prevalence of conduct problems are, to some extent, rooted in modifiable social contexts and experiences, such as experiences of racial discrimination
A review of childhood maltreatment, latent vulnerability and the brain
There is a well-established association between childhood maltreatment and later poor mental health and increasing recognition that we need to find ways to support children following such experiences to improve long-term outcomes. We suggest that the rationale for such a preventive approach is directly informed by the emerging findings from the field of functional neuroimaging. Here, we review the evidence from four neurocognitive systems: threat…
Ghosts in the nursery
Previous studies have shown that the experience of childhood maltreatment can influence recognition and processing of emotional cues and that these effects can extend into adulthood. Such alterations in cognitive processing may have important implications for processing of infant affect and parenting behavior. This study investigated whether the experience of childhood maltreatment altered attentional processing of infant faces in a community sam…
Functional Neuroscience of Psychopathic Personality in Adults
Psychopathy is a personality disorder that involves a constellation of traits including callous‐unemotionality, manipulativeness, and impulsiveness. Here we review recent advances in the research of functional neural correlates of psychopathic personality traits in adults. We first provide a concise overview of functional neuroimaging findings in clinical samples diagnosed with the PCL ‐ R . We then review studies with community samples that have…
Attentional capture by irrelevant emotional distractor faces
We establish attentional capture by emotional distractor faces presented as a "singleton" in a search task in which the emotion is entirely irrelevant. Participants searched for a male (or female) target face among female (or male) faces and indicated whether the target face was tilted to the left or right. The presence (vs. absence) of an irrelevant emotional singleton expression (fearful, angry, or happy) in one of the distractor faces slowed s…
Social brain development and the affective consequences of ostracism in adolescence
Evidence for substantial genetic risk for psychopathy in 7‐year‐olds
Background: Individuals with early warning signs of life‐long psychopathy, callous‐unemotional traits (CU) and high levels of antisocial behaviour (AB) can be identified in childhood. We report here the first twin study of high levels of psychopathic tendencies in young children. Methods: At the end of the first school year, teachers provided ratings of CU and AB for 3687 twin pairs from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS). For the analyses …
Load Theory of Selective Attention and Cognitive Control.
A load theory of attention in which distractor rejection depends on the level and type of load involved in current processing was tested. A series of experiments demonstrates that whereas high perceptual load reduces distractor interference, working memory load or dual-task coordination load increases distractor interference. These findings suggest 2 selective attention mechanisms: a perceptual selection mechanism serving to reduce distractor per…
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Load Theory of Selective Attention and Cognitive Control.
A load theory of attention in which distractor rejection depends on the level and type of load involved in current processing was tested. A series of experiments demonstrates that whereas high perceptual load reduces distractor interference, working memory load or dual-task coordination load increases distractor interference. These findings suggest 2 selective attention mechanisms: a perceptual selection mechanism serving to reduce distractor per…
Evidence for substantial genetic risk for psychopathy in 7‐year‐olds
Background: Individuals with early warning signs of life‐long psychopathy, callous‐unemotional traits (CU) and high levels of antisocial behaviour (AB) can be identified in childhood. We report here the first twin study of high levels of psychopathic tendencies in young children. Methods: At the end of the first school year, teachers provided ratings of CU and AB for 3687 twin pairs from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS). For the analyses …
Social brain development and the affective consequences of ostracism in adolescence
Attentional capture by irrelevant emotional distractor faces
We establish attentional capture by emotional distractor faces presented as a "singleton" in a search task in which the emotion is entirely irrelevant. Participants searched for a male (or female) target face among female (or male) faces and indicated whether the target face was tilted to the left or right. The presence (vs. absence) of an irrelevant emotional singleton expression (fearful, angry, or happy) in one of the distractor faces slowed s…
Functional Neuroscience of Psychopathic Personality in Adults
Psychopathy is a personality disorder that involves a constellation of traits including callous‐unemotionality, manipulativeness, and impulsiveness. Here we review recent advances in the research of functional neural correlates of psychopathic personality traits in adults. We first provide a concise overview of functional neuroimaging findings in clinical samples diagnosed with the PCL ‐ R . We then review studies with community samples that have…
Ghosts in the nursery
Previous studies have shown that the experience of childhood maltreatment can influence recognition and processing of emotional cues and that these effects can extend into adulthood. Such alterations in cognitive processing may have important implications for processing of infant affect and parenting behavior. This study investigated whether the experience of childhood maltreatment altered attentional processing of infant faces in a community sam…
A review of childhood maltreatment, latent vulnerability and the brain
There is a well-established association between childhood maltreatment and later poor mental health and increasing recognition that we need to find ways to support children following such experiences to improve long-term outcomes. We suggest that the rationale for such a preventive approach is directly informed by the emerging findings from the field of functional neuroimaging. Here, we review the evidence from four neurocognitive systems: threat…
Genetic and environmental influences on the developmental trajectory of callous‐unemotional traits from childhood to adolescence
BACKGROUND: This study examined the genetic and environmental influences underlying baseline level and developmental course of callous-unemotional (CU) traits across childhood and adolescence. METHODS: The data on 8,958 twin pairs (3,108 MZ twin pairs and 5,850 DZ twin pairs) from the Twins Early Development Study were analysed. CU traits were assessed at ages 7, 9, 12 and 16 by mothers and analysed using a biometric latent growth model. RESULTS:…
Callous-Unemotional Traits Moderate Anticipated Guilt and Wrongness Judgments to Everyday Moral Transgressions in Adolescents
Callous-unemotional (CU) traits observed during childhood and adolescence are thought to be precursors of psychopathic traits in adulthood. Adults with high levels of psychopathic traits typically present antisocial behavior. Such behavior can be indicative of atypical moral processing. Evidence suggests that moral dysfunction in these individuals may stem from a disruption of affective components of moral processing rather than from an inability…
Prevalence of conduct problems and social risk factors in ethnically diverse inner-city schools
Conduct problems are markedly more common in inner-city schools, and variations in the prevalence of conduct problems are, to some extent, rooted in modifiable social contexts and experiences, such as experiences of racial discrimination
Commentary
The synthesis of quantitative genetics and molecular genetics is transforming research in the behavioural sciences. The ability to measure inherited DNA differences directly has led to polygenic scores and to new methods to estimate heritability and genetic correlations. This issue provides examples of how these advances can be appllied to research on gene‐environment interplay in developmental psychopathology
Using DNA to predict behaviour problems from preschool to adulthood
BACKGROUND: One goal of the DNA revolution is to predict problems in order to prevent them. We tested here if the prediction of behaviour problems from genome-wide polygenic scores (GPS) can be improved by creating composites across ages and across raters and by using a multi-GPS approach that includes GPS for adult psychiatric disorders as well as for childhood behaviour problems. METHOD: Our sample included 3,065 genotyped unrelated individuals…
Trust and childhood maltreatment
BACKGROUND: Child maltreatment is associated with poorer social functioning and increased risk of mental health problems in adolescence and adulthood, but the processes underlying these associations remain unclear. Although crucial for establishing and maintaining relationships, trust judgements have not been experimentally investigated in children who have experienced abuse and neglect. METHODS: A community-based sample of 75 children aged 8-16 …
Explaining the influence of non‐shared environment ( NSE ) on symptoms of behaviour problems from preschool to adulthood
BACKGROUND: Individual differences in symptoms of behaviour problems in childhood and adolescence are not primarily due to nature or nurture - another substantial source of variance is non-shared environment (NSE). However, few specific environmental factors have been found to account for these NSE estimates. This creates a 'missing NSE' gap analogous to the 'missing heritability' gap, which refers to the shortfall in identifying DNA differences …
Child Maltreatment, Peer Victimization, and Mental Health
Children who experience maltreatment are at increased risk of revictimization across the life span. In childhood, this risk often manifests as peer victimization. Understanding the nature of this risk, and its impact on mental health, is critical if we are to provide effective support for those children who are most vulnerable. A systematic scoping review was conducted using Google Scholar and PsycINFO. Studies on adults, psychiatric, and/or inpa…
Genetic algorithms reveal identity independent representation of emotional expressions
People readily and automatically process facial emotion and identity, and it has been reported that these cues are processed both dependently and independently. However, this question of identity independent encoding of emotions has only been examined using posed, often exaggerated expressions of emotion, that do not account for the substantial individual differences in emotion recognition. In this study, we ask whether people's unique beliefs of…
Evaluating the sensitivity to threat and affiliative reward ( STAR ) model in relation to the development of conduct problems and callous‐unemotional traits across early adolescence
BACKGROUND: The Sensitivity to Threat and Affiliative Reward (STAR) model proposes low threat sensitivity and low affiliation as risk factors for callous-unemotional (CU) traits. Preliminary evidence for the STAR model comes from work in early childhood. However, studies are needed that explore the STAR dimensions in late childhood and adolescence when severe conduct problems (CP) emerge. Moreover, it is unclear how variability across the full sp…
Reduced prosocial motivation and effort in adolescents with conduct problems and callous‐unemotional traits
BACKGROUND: Prosocial behaviours - acts that benefit others - are of crucial importance for many species including humans. However, adolescents with conduct problems (CP), unlike their typically developing (TD) peers, demonstrate markedly reduced engagement in prosocial behaviours. This pattern is particularly pronounced in adolescents with CP and high levels of callous-unemotional traits (CP/HCU) who are at increased risk of developing psychopat…
Childhood maltreatment is associated with lower exploration and disrupted prefrontal activity and connectivity during reward learning in volatile environments
BACKGROUND: Atypical reward processing is implicated in a range of psychiatric disorders associated with childhood maltreatment and may represent a latent vulnerability mechanism. In this longitudinal study, we investigated the impact of maltreatment on behavioural and neural indices of reward learning in volatile environments and examined associations with future psychopathology assessed 18 months later. METHODS: Thirty-seven children and adoles…
Examining longitudinal associations between interpersonal outcomes and general psychopathology factors across preadolescence using random intercept cross‐lagged panel model
BACKGROUND: Interpersonal outcomes and mental health problems are closely associated. However, their reciprocal influence has not been directly examined while considering the temporal stability of these constructs, as well as shared and unique variance associated with internalising, externalising and attention problems. Using random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM), we tested the hypotheses that negative bidirectional associations at…
Positive and negative parenting practices and offspring disruptive behavior
Disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) are common in childhood and adolescence, with global estimates of 5.7%. While parenting practices are associated with DBDs, it is not clear whether these associations reflect causal effects or confounding. To strengthen causal inference, we meta-analyzed quasi-experimental evidence on the relationship between parenting practices and DBD symptoms. We conducted multilevel random-effects meta-analyses to pool res…
The nature and nurture of primary and secondary callous–unemotional traits
BACKGROUND: Callous-unemotional (CU) traits identify youth with more severe and chronic trajectories of conduct problems. However, the etiology of CU traits may be heterogeneous, undermining the search for effective treatments. The level of co-occurring anxiety has been used to identify "primary" (lower anxiety) versus "secondary" (higher anxiety) variants of CU traits. The primary variant has been hypothesized to emerge from strong genetic influ…
Long‐term follow‐up of a randomised controlled trial of a brief home‐based parenting intervention to reduce behavioural problems in young children
BACKGROUND: Behaviour problems are common in childhood and are associated with higher rates of mental health problems, educational and relationship difficulties throughout life. This study assessed whether a Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) has sustained benefit 6 years after delivery. It had previously been shown to reduce behavioural problems in children aged 2 and 4 years old. METHODS…
Psychology (18 works) · Developmental psychology (16 works) · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development (10 works) · Cognition (8 works) · Social Psychology (8 works) · Clinical Psychology (6 works) · Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending (6 works) · Child Abuse and Trauma (5 works) · Poison control (5 works) · Psychiatry (5 works)