Classes of disruptive behaviour in a sample of young elementary school children.
BACKGROUND
The objectives were to (1) classify young children to groups differing in disruptive behaviour, (2) determine whether the patterns of disruptive behaviour in these groups are in accordance with the conceptualisation of disruptive disorders as described in DSM-IV, and (3) optimise the classification of children in groups.


METHODS
Disruptive behaviour of 636 seven-year-old elementary schoolchildren was assessed with the CBCL/4-18. Using CBCL items rated as very consistent with DSM-IV categories Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, latent class analyses were applied to identify classes of children differing in patterns of disruptive behaviour.


RESULTS
Three classes were identified: (1) high levels of oppositional defiant problems (ODD problems) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity problems (ADH problems) and intermediate levels of Conduct problems; (2) intermediate ODD problems and ADH problems and low levels of Conduct problems; (3) low levels on all disruptive behaviours.


CONCLUSIONS
No classes were identified in which children had symptoms of only Conduct problems, only ODD problems or only ADH problems. Covariates (socio-economic status, gender, parenting stress) improved the classification of children. The findings are discussed in terms of implications for classification, identification of children at risk, prevention and treatment of disruptive behaviour in young children.
van Lier
Pol A C
PA
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC Rotterdam/Sophia Children's Hospital, The Netherlands. vanlier@psys.azr.nl
Verhulst
Frank C
FC
van der Ende
Jan
J
Crijnen
Alfons A M
AA
D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D002648:Child; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors