HYPERACTIVE AND AGGRESSIVE PATHWAYS - EFFECTS OF DEMOGRAPHIC, FAMILY,AND CHILD CHARACTERISTICS ON CHILDRENS ADAPTIVE FUNCTIONING

Examined the predictive strength of two dimensions of early disruptive behavior, hyperactivity/attention problems (HAP) and aggressiveness/c onduct problems (ACP) to school-based adaptive functioning. Also studi ed were potential moderators and mediators of these relations, includi ng Ia, single-parent status, family process characteristics, and child attributes. Participants were 137 children screened for cross-setting disruptive behavior and 143 nondisruptive children between the ages o f 7 to 12 and then followed up to assess adaptive functioning 3.5 year s later. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that initial levels o f HAP (19%) and ACP (9%) were highly predictive of later adaptive func tioning. Positive values of children's self-concept and relations with parents were also prognostic of higher adaptive functioning. Signific ant interactions were observed between ACP and family process factors, but the variance explained was small. Overall, HAP and ACP showed sim ilar patterns of association with causal factors related to the emerge nce of maladaptive functioning.