Network Modeling of Conduct Disorder Symptoms in Adolescents: Analysis of Symptom Centrality and the Role of Impulsivity, Emotion Regulation, and Empathy

Abstract

The present study aimed to model the network structure of conduct disorder symptoms in adolescents and examine the central role of impulsivity, emotion regulation, and empathy in this network to identify key components involved in symptom maintenance and organization. This study employed a descriptive–analytical correlational design using a psychological network analysis approach. The statistical population consisted of adolescents aged 13 to 18 years in Yasuj during the 2025–2026 academic year, selected using a multistage cluster sampling method. Data were collected using standardized measures of conduct disorder symptoms, impulsivity, emotion regulation, and empathy. Network estimation was conducted using Gaussian graphical models with LASSO regularization in the R statistical environment. Centrality indices, including strength, closeness, and betweenness, were calculated, and network stability was evaluated using bootstrap procedures. Network analysis revealed that maladaptive emotion regulation and impulsivity had the highest centrality indices and played a central role in the conduct disorder symptom network. Rule violation and aggressive behavior emerged as the most central behavioral symptoms. Bridge centrality analysis indicated that impulsivity and maladaptive emotion regulation functioned as key bridging nodes linking psychological variables and conduct disorder symptoms. Empathy showed significant negative associations with conduct disorder symptoms, indicating its protective role. Network stability analysis confirmed the reliability and robustness of the estimated network structure. The findings demonstrated that conduct disorder is organized as a dynamic network of interacting symptoms, with maladaptive emotion regulation and impulsivity serving as central mechanisms and empathy functioning as a protective factor. These results suggest that interventions targeting emotional regulation, impulse control, and empathy enhancement may be effective in reducing conduct disorder symptoms.