Which better predicts conduct problems? The relationship of trajectories of conduct problems with ODD and ADHD symptoms from childhood into adolescence

• Published in: Journal of child psychology and psychiatry Vol. 48; no. 6; pp. 601 - 608
• Main Authors: Van Lier, Pol A.C., Der Ende, Jan van, Koot, Hans M., Verhulst, Frank C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-06-2007; Blackwell Publishing; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders - diagnosis; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders - epidemiology; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - diagnosis; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - epidemiology; Attention Deficit Disorders; Attention deficit disorders. Hyperactivity; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Behavior disorders; Behavior Patterns; Behavior Problems; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child clinical studies; Child psychology; Child, Preschool; Children; Cohort Studies; Comorbidity; Conduct disorder; Conduct Disorder - diagnosis; Conduct Disorder - epidemiology; Conduct disorders; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Females; Foreign Countries; Gender Differences; Humans; Hyperactivity; Male; Males; Medical sciences; Netherlands; Oppositional defiant disorder; Parents; Personality Assessment; Prediction; Prognosis; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; sex differences; Sex Factors; Social behavior disorders; Social behavior disorders. Criminal behavior. Delinquency; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Netherlands; Human; Oppositional defiant disorder; Hyperactivity; Sex; Conduct disorder; attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder; Symptomatology; Concomitant disease; Attentional disorder; comorbidity; Adolescent; Attention disorder with hyperactivity; Predictive factor; Social behavior disorder; Child; sex differences
• ISSN: 0021-9630; 1469-7610
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2006.01724.x

Background:  To assess the co‐occurrence in deviant trajectories of parent‐rated symptoms of conduct disorder (CD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from age 4 to 18 years old in a general population sample of Dutch children.
Methods:  Developmental trajectories of CD, ODD, and ADHD were estimated in a sample of 1,016 males and 1,060 females. Children's disruptive problem behaviors were rated at 5 time‐points. The co‐occurrence patterns between the deviant CD trajectory, and the high ODD and high ADHD trajectory were studied for males and females separately.
Results:  Four percent of males and 2% of females followed a deviant CD trajectory. Six percent of the sample followed a high ODD trajectory, and 5% a high ADHD trajectory. Engagement in the deviant CD trajectory was predicted by ODD and ADHD in females, but only by ODD in males.
Conclusions:  Although ADHD co‐occurs with CD, the association between ADHD and CD is largely accounted for by accompanying ODD. Gender differences should be taken into account in understanding the onset of CD.