Disruptive behavior disorders are characterized by antisocial, aggressive behaviors. Externalizing problems are the most commonly diagnosed mental health problems of childhood. They tend to be stable over time, resistant to treatment, and linked to psychiatric disorders in adolescence and adulthood. Early onset aggression is a precursor of life-course persistent antisocial behavior. Little is known, however, about constitutional and environmental factors, and their interactions, that contribute to different developmental outcomes. Eighty-two 4-5 year-old children at low, moderate or high risk for later disruptive behavior disorders (based on initial levels of externalizing problems), have been studied again at three subsequent time points; 6-7, 8-10, and 12-13 years. Social, emotional, cognitive, and physiological areas of child functioning are examined, in conjunction with socialization experiences. The goal is to identify key factors that contribute to continuity and change over time in young children's behavioral problems. Because antisocial, disruptive behaviors often are comorbid with anxiety and depression, the developmental trajectories for these internalizing problems also are investigated. Several child and parent risk and protective factors that contribute to continuity versus amelioration of problems during middle childhood were previously reported. The findings from current projects are summarized next. All focus on young children?s social-affective cognitions about interpersonal conflict and distress (reflected in narratives, emotions, and symbolic play) as predictors of later psychological problems, psychiatric symptoms, and social adjustment. In one article, both hostile and caring themes of children at ages 5 and 7 years, predicted different developmental trajectories of problems by 9-10 years of age, ---distinguishing among non-problem children, children whose problems improved, and those whose problems remained or worsened over time. Trajectories also differed for disruptive girls and boys. In a second article the children were followed into early adolescence, in order to identify precursors of different types of antisocial behavior (overt, physical aggression vs. relational aggression) and psychiatric symptoms. Prediction from 7 years to 12-14 years was evident only for girls, whose early hostile themes predicted both relational and overt aggression in adolescence. Early sadness and distress in girls led to a preponderance of relational aggression in adolescence. Also for girls, a general lack of emotional expressiveness foretold more psychiatric symptoms of all kinds. In contrast, early distress in boys only predicted later anxiety and depression. In a third report, for girls only, early caring themes predicted later prosocial behaviors and social competence, while early hostile, aggressive themes and avoidance of responsibility predicted later avoidant coping strategies. The gender differences across these projects point to different underlying processes implicated in the developmental course of disruptive boys and girls, even when they have been initially equated for levels of problem behaviors. Three manuscripts based on this and related work are under editorial review. Two additional collaborative manuscripts based on non-NIMH research samples by other investigators, but which utilize comparable measures and provide opportunities for cross-project comparisons, are also under editorial review. This is a final report.
