A NATIONWIDE STUDY OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND GENDER PREVALENCE FOR PSYCHOPATHOLOGY IN CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE

Psychopathology was assessed through standardized observations by teac hers of 1,400 youths 5 through 17 years old comprising the national no rm sample of the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents. The s ample was stratified according to the U.S. population by age, sex, eth nicity, parent education, family structure, national region, community size, and handicapping condition. The maladjusted portion of the samp le for each of six specific syndromes was examined for departures fr o m expected developmental and gender prevalence, Males outnumbered fema les for most types of maladjustment, including attention-deficit hyper active, both provocative and impulsive forms of solitary aggressive, o ppositional defiant, and avoidant disorders. Also revealed were genera l patterns of reduced behavior excess and increased avoidant behavior with advancing age.