Disruptive behavior, peer association, and conduct disorder: Testing the developmental links through early intervention

We tested three competing models regarding the role of deviant friends in t he trajectory; linking early disruptiveness with later conduct problems thr ough the use of a preventive intervention program. The program was implemen ted during the second and third grade. One model predicted that the program would positively affect later conduct problems by facilitating nondeviant peer association during early adolescence. The second model predicted a dir ect impact of the program on later conduct problems through the reduction o f early disruptiveness. The third model predicted an interaction between po stintervention disruptiveness and association with less deviant friends. Th e results showed that the program's effects on later conduct problems were mediated by the reduction in disruptiveness and by the association with les s deviant friends. However, the positive effect of associating with less de viant friends depended on whether children's disruptiveness had bern reduce d or not by their participation in the program, thus supporting the third m odel. We recommend using intervention studies to test developmental models.