Thesis title: Association between Callous/Unemotional Traits, Empathy and Moral Disengagement Mechanisms in Juvenile Offenders
Abstract
This doctoral study explores how callous–unemotional traits, empathy, and moral disengagement affect the behavior of adolescents in Albania.
The research included 300 young people aged 13–17, half of them in conflict with the law and half without such experiences. Data were collected through psychological questionnaires and analyzed with statistical comparisons and regression models.
The results show clear differences between the two groups: adolescents in conflict with the law had higher levels of CU traits and moral disengagement, while their peers showed stronger empathy.
Empathy appeared as a protective factor, even though it did not reduce the direct link between CU traits and disengagement.
Gender and context also played a role. Boys scored higher on CU traits and moral disengagement, while girls showed greater empathy. Adolescents living in urban areas displayed a stronger protective effect of empathy compared to those from rural settings. Parental education did not show a significant effect, possibly due to the low variability in the sample.
This study is valuable because it fills a gap in the Albanian context, where little research has examined these psychological factors systematically.
It provides new insights into risk and protective factors in adolescent behavior and suggests prevention programs that focus on empathy training, moral reasoning, and family support to reduce delinquency and promote positive youth development.