Facial Affect Sensitivity Training for Young Children With CU Traits

This project will directly target affect sensitivity in high-CU youth. Per the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Strategic Plan (Objective 3.1), the investigators propose an experimental therapeutics approach to develop a novel neurocognitive intervention for CU traits, in which a clearly identified target, facial affect sensitivity (FAS), will be engaged and assessed via primary [distress facial emotion recognition (FER) accuracy, heightened eye gaze] and secondary (EEG event-related potential) neurocognitive and behavioral processes. The long-term goal is to apply this targeted intervention to the wider range of problems associated with CU traits. The R61 phase Specific Aims are as follows: Investigators will first demonstrate, in a preliminary randomized controlled trial (RCT; N=84 children), that a new neurocognitive intervention (Facial Affect Sensitivity Training: FAST) can improve FAS [target engagement] in children with elevated CU traits. FAS will be measured primarily by FER accuracy for distress expressions and/or heightened attention to the eye region (eye gaze), and secondarily by neural activity [specifically, N170 and P200 event-related potential (ERP) components]. Objective 1: Establish that distress FER accuracy and/or eye gaze can be altered in a reliable manner among young children with elevated CU traits. Objective 2: Determine whether FAST improves secondary neural indices of FAS (brain activity during processing of emotional faces). Objective 3: Refine FAST for subsequent evaluation by determining optimal dose parameters with regard to number of sessions for FER and/or eye gaze improvement via a nonlinear mixed model for small samples (e.g., timing of local bump or decay, amount of change, when maximal change occurs), and participant satisfaction with session frequency, length, and number. Objective 4: Deliver a computerized training program (FAST) capable of providing real-time automated feedback and reinforcement of accurate FER performance. Milestones (Go/No-Go Criteria): (1) FAST will engage the target (FAS), indexed by enhancing distress FER accuracy and/or eye gaze in high-CU youth. The investigators will examine individual growth rates and test slope differences between conditions (FAST v control). Target engagement will be defined as medium effect size (defined as Cohen's d value = .50) in the comparison of FAST vs. no-treatment control on the primary target (distress FER and/or eye gaze). The R33 phase Specific Aims are as follows: The investigators aim to replicate target engagement with a new, large high-CU sample and evaluate feasibility and preliminary efficacy of FAST, in the context of an RCT (N = 84) in which FAST is compared to an active control condition (ACC; implicit eye gaze training). In addition, this phase will validate the functional role of FAS by examining downstream change in CU as a result of FAST. FAST will produce reliable increases in FER accuracy for distress cues in others. Furthermore, FAST completers will show greater improvement in CU/empathic behaviors than ACC completers. Objective 5: Replicate target engagement of FAS. Objective 6: Determine if improved FAS leads to reduction in CU traits. The investigators will also consider in a preliminary fashion whether CU trait reductions are clinically significant (more than .5 pre-test standard deviation on 2 target CU indices or more than 1.0 standard deviation on one CU measure). If the FAST intervention improves FER and reduces CU traits, such training in early childhood could help interrupt the developmental cascade toward antisocial outcomes.