Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40286921›Full record

Trial reportJournal of affective disorders2025

Affective theory of mind impairments linked with callous-unemotional traits implicate cognitive control: A pre-registered double-blind randomized controlled trial with a dual-task paradigm.

Drew E Winters, Juliet Spitz, Kristen Raymond, Crystal Natvig, Rebecca Waller, Susan K Mikulich-Gilbertson, Joseph T Sakai

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of affective disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Drew E WintersDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA. Electronic address: drew.winters@cuanschutz.edu.
Juliet SpitzDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Kristen RaymondDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Crystal NatvigDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Rebecca WallerDepartment of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Susan K Mikulich-GilbertsonDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Joseph T SakaiDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.

Funding

Development of Psychopathology, Psychobiology, & BehaviorT32MH015442 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · PI JASON R TREGELLAS · 1985 to 2026
$10.2M
Risky Parenting and Temperament Pathways To Callous-Unemotional Traits In Early ChildhoodR01MH125904 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI Nicholas J Wagner, Rebecca Waller · 2022 to 2026
$3.9M
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) For Severe Treatment Refractory Methamphetamine Use DisorderUG3DA054746 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · PI ABOSCH, AVIVA, SAKAI, JOSEPH T · 2022 to 2023
$1.4M
Mentoring clinician scientists in patient-oriented substance use disorder researchK24DA058882 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · PI JOSEPH T SAKAI · 2023 to 2026
$735k
Effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Social Cognition, Cognitive Processing, and Functional Brain Architecture in PsychopathyK23MH139637 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · PI Drew E Winters · 2025 to 2026
$376k
NIDA NIH HHS K24 DA058882NIDA NIH HHS UG3 DA054746NIMH NIH HHS K23 MH139637NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH125904NIMH NIH HHS T32 MH015442
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionYouth antisocial behavior strongly associates with conduct problems (CP) and callous-unemotional (CU) traits. While CP has links to broad cognitive impairments, CU traits have specific links with cognitive control and affective theory of mind (ToM) difficulties. Evidence suggests cognitive control limitations impact affective processing in ToM amongst youth with elevated CU traits. Here we sought to improve on those initial findings by leveraging a randomized dual-task (within-trial) design to replicate and extend prior findings.

methodsIn this double-blind, randomized controlled trial, 85 participants (47 % female) were stratified by sex and CU trait severity. The study employed a ToM task with cognitive, affective, and physical conditions, combined with an inhibitory processing task to tax cognitive control. Participants completed single and dual-task trials, counterbalanced to test within-subject effects. Primary hypotheses were tested with both CP and CU traits in the same model using repeated measure mixed effects to examine changes in accuracy and reaction time.

resultsCU traits were uniquely associated with greater impairments in affective ToM under dual-task conditions, reflecting increased difficulty integrating affective information when cognitive demands were increased. CP associated with lower single ToM performance but no change during dual-task trials. Notably, participants resilient to dual-task effects reported fewer antisocial behaviors, even with elevated CU traits. LIMITATIONS: While appropriately powered for study aims, the sample was underpowered to detect any potential primary and secondary variant interactions on study outcomes.

conclusionsThese findings support a CU trait specific cognitive-affective interaction as a mechanism critical for understanding youth antisocial behavior.

Indexed as

AffectAntisocial Personality DisorderCognitionConduct DisorderEmotionsEmpathyExecutive FunctionTheory of MindAdolescentChildDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansMaleReaction TimeAdolescenceCallous-unemotional traitsCognitive controlConductTheory of mind

Identifiers

PMID40286921
PMCPMC13322641

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.