AGGRESSIVENESS, INATTENTION, HYPERACTIVITY, AND IMPULSIVITY IN BOYS AT HIGH AND LOW-RISK FOR SUBSTANCE-ABUSE

Aggressivity, inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are cardinal dimensions of externalizing behavior problems of childhood. They are diagnostic and clinical features of childhood disorders, and are thoug ht to be linked to the subsequent development of adult disorders such as substance abuse (SA). Little is known, however, about the convergen t and discriminant validity of these four constructs. We used multiple measures to develop indices of aggressivity, inattention, hyperactivi ty, and impulsivity in a sample of 10- to 12-year-old boys (N = 183) w ith and without a family history of SA. Data were taken from mother re ports, child reports, teacher reports, and laboratory tasks. The study aims were (1) to test the convergent and discriminant validity of agg ressivity, inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, (2) to examine whether the data were consistent with a model specifying the four con structs as indicators of one superordinate factor, and (3) to differen tiate boys with and without a family history of SA in construct scores . The results supported the convergent and discriminant validity of th e four constructs. Although discriminable, the constructs covaried str ongly and were consistent with a model specifying them as indicators o f a single superordinate factor. Boys with a family history of substan ce abuse scored higher than control boys on aggressivity, inattention, and impulsivity scores, but the groups did not differ on hyperactivit y scores. The results are discussed in terms of the role of childhood behavior problems in vulnerability to SA.