CONDUCT AND AFFECTIVE-DISORDERS IN DEVELOPMENTAL PERSPECTIVE - A SYSTEMATIC STUDY OF ADOLESCENT PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

This study examined the relationship of psychiatric diagnoses to gende r, IQ, and ego development level in an inpatient sample of 269 adolesc ents. It was found that adolescents with an affective disorder diagnos is, in contrast to those with a diagnosis of conduct or mixed affectiv e-conduct disorder, were more likely to (a) be female, (b) have higher IQ scores, and (c) have higher ego development levels. No significant age differences were found between groups. Comparisons between the si ngle diagnosis and mixed disorder groups indicated that the mixed diso rder group is characterized by the most severe symptoms found in each of the pure affective and conduct disordered groups. A relationship be tween type of DSM-III diagnosis and ego development level in adolescen ce was demonstrated after controlling for the effects of age, gender, and IQ. These results are offered as an explication of the development al dimensions inherent in DSM-III psychiatric diagnoses.