Hyperactive and aggressive pathways: Effects of demographic, family, and child characteristics on children's adaptive functioning

Examined the predictive strength of two dimensions of early disruptive behavior, hyperactivity/attention problems (HAP) and aggressiveness/conduct problems (ACP) to school-based adaptive functioning. Also studied were potential moderators and mediators of these relations, including Ia, single-parent status, family process characteristics, and child attributes. Participants were 137 children screened for cross-setting disruptive behavior and 143 nondisruptive children between the ages of 7 to 12 and then followed up to assess adaptive functioning 3.5 years later. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that initial levels of HAP (19%) and ACP (9%) were highly predictive of later adaptive functioning. Positive values of children's self-concept and relations with parents were also prognostic of higher adaptive functioning. Significant interactions were observed between ACP and family process factors, but the variance explained was small. Overall, HAP and ACP showed similar patterns of association with causal factors related to the emergence of maladaptive functioning.