Childhood and adolescent onset conduct disorder: A test of the developmental taxonomy

Hypotheses generated by a developmental taxonomy that distinguishes between childhood and adolescent onset conduct disorders were tested. Hypotheses p redicted that (1) individual and familial factors would be more strongly re lated to childhood onset conduct disorder, whereas ethnic minority status a nd exposure to deviant peers would be more strongly related to adolescent o nset conduct disorder and (2) individuals with childhood onset disorder wou ld be more likely to commit violent and victim oriented offenses than indiv iduals with adolescent onset conduct disorder. The first hypothesis was str ongly supported and the second hypothesis was partially supported. Implicat ions for early identification of youth at risk for chronic offending are di scussed.