Attention problems versus conduct problems as 6-year predictors of signs of disturbance in a national sample

Objective: To test whether attention problems predicted different signs of disturbance than conduct problems over 3 and 6 years. Method: Gender-specif ic criteria for deviance on parents' ratings of attention versus conduct pr oblems were tested as predictors of interview-reported signs of disturbance in a national sample first assessed at ages 4 to 16 years. Results: Males and females deviant on both attention and conduct problems showed higher ra tes of several signs of disturbance than did those deviant on only one type of problem. Subjects deviant only on conduct problems showed higher rates of several signs than did controls, whereas those deviant only on attention problems exceeded controls mainly on special education services. Unaggress ive "delinquent' conduct problems predicted dropping out of school, unwed p regnancy, and total signs for both genders during transitions to adulthood. Conclusions: Attention problems predict receipt of special education but c ontribute much less than conduct problems to predicting other signs of dist urbance. Differential assessment of aggressive versus unaggressive conduct problems can improve prediction, as can gender specificity in setting crite ria for deviance and in testing outcomes.