Gender differences in the development of conduct problems: trajectories, predictors, and outcomes through childhood

Abstract

Gender differences in the trajectories of conduct problems (CP) have received very little attention in the literature. The present four-year longitudinal study explores gender differences in CP trajectories through early childhood, assessing gender-specific predictors and outcomes. Gender-separated CP trajectories were identified in a sample of 2,246 young children (Mage=4.25; 48.53% girls) using latent class growth analyses (LCGA). Five trajectories were found in girls (i.e., low, average, downward, upward, and stable high) and four in boys (i.e., low, average, stable high, and upward). Low socioeconomic status was related to the most problematic trajectories only in boys, whereas the interpersonal psychopathic trait (grandiose-deceitful) was more pronounced in girls with higher CP scores relative to other psychopathic traits. Meanwhile, boys’ trajectories were more varied in terms of negative outcomes (e.g., bullying, victimization) than those of girls. This study contributes to the body of work on heterogeneity in CP by identifying different trajectories according to gender, and shows the relevance of gender in understanding the predictors, development, and outcomes of CP.