Developmental pathways in disruptive child behavior

Abstract

Developmental sequences in disruptive behavior from childhood to adolescence are traced retrospectively and prospectively in two community samples of boys. Three developmental pathways are distinguished: (a) an early authority conflict pathway, consisting in sequence of stubborn behavior, defiance, and authority avoidance; (b) a covert pathway, consisting of minor covert behaviors, property damage, and moderate to serious forms of delinquency; and (c) an overt pathway, consisting of aggression, fighting, and violence. The overlap among the three disruptive pathways is examined. Those boys who escalated in the overt pathway were more likely to escalate in the covert pathway than boys escalating in the covert pathway showing an escalation in the overt pathway. Escalation in the authority conflict pathway was not associated with escalation in either the overt or the covert pathways. Boys' rate of self-reported delinquency was highest for those in triple pathways (covert-overt-authority conflict) or in certain dual pathways (covert-overt, covert-authority conflict). However, by age 16 the highest rate of offending was displayed by those in the triple pathways. The rate of violent offenses was also highest for those in the triple pathways and for those in the overt and covert pathways. Results from the rate for court petitions largely supported these findings. Lowest rates of offending were observed for boys in the overt and authority conflict pathways. Implications are discussed for clinical practice and future research.

Developmental Links Between Trajectories of Physical Violence, Vandalism, Theft, and Alcohol-Drug Use from Childhood to Adolescence

“…These results suggest that cases with a de novo onset of ASB are much more likely to engage in theft than in physical violence. Similar findings were reported by Loeber and colleagues (Loeber et al 1993). These authors found that among those who engaged in deviant forms of covert ASB (e.g., theft, vandalism), 40% never engaged in serious forms of overt ASB (physical violence).…”

Characterizing aggressive behavior with the Impulsive/Premeditated Aggression Scale among adolescents with conduct disorder

“…For example, aggressive behavior (along with Oppositional Defiant Disorder) is a significant predictor for development of CD (Patterson, 1993;Loeber et al, 1998), of treatment outcome (Loeber et al, 1992(Loeber et al, ,1993, and of impaired functioning (Loeber et al, 2000) and antisocial behaviors (Lynam, 1996;Huesmann et al, 2002) extending into adulthood. In fact, findings from a 22-year longitudinal study revealed that, while many childhood variables (e.g., low IQ, poor housing, lower parent education) were individually related to criminality in adulthood, these variables "did not add to predicting criminality once early aggression was considered" (Huesmann et al, 2002, p.204).…”

Initial impact of the fast track prevention trial for conduct problems: I. The high-risk sample.

“…Kindergarten provides the first occasion for the universal screening of children who are disruptive at home and at school, the criterion that Loeber et al (1993) suggested as the basis for a reasonably accurate identification of early starting conduct problems. The intervention components were selected to address major risk factors in the child, the family, and the classroom.…”

“…Campbell and Ewing (1990) reported that 67% of 6-year-olds with significant behavior problems met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1980) criteria for an externalizing disorder at age 9. Loeber et al (1993) also demonstrated that children who became violent as adolescents could be identified with almost 50% reliability as early as age 7 as a result of their aggressive and disruptive behavior at home and at school. Conversely, Robins (1966Robins ( , 1978 noted that it was rare to find an antisocial adult who did not exhibit conduct problems as a child, even though no more than half of the children identified as having conduct problems go on to become antisocial adults.…”