Childhood predictive characteristics of aggressive adolescents

ABSTRACT: A study was conducted to delineate and describe a number of childhood (occurring prior to age nine) variables that could be used to predict the occurrence of maladaptive aggressive behavior in adolescence, The subjects were three groups of adolescents, all of whom participated in a residential treatment program for emotionallv disturbed children, One group was characterized as aggressive and violent, and was compared with two other groups with regard to four predictive indicators: organic problems, family problems, conduct disordered behaviors, and academic achievement problems, Data were garhered from childhood treatment records, Significant differences were found between the aggressive group and the comparison groups for all four predictors, Implications for early identification and treatment are discussed, • Childhood aggression has come to be recog-nized as a strong predictor of later behavior difficulty in adolescence and early adulthood (Lefkowitz, Eron, Walder, & Huesmann, 1977; Olweus, 1979), Yet, treatment programs for aggressive children have been less than satisfac-tory in reducing the occurrence of behavior problems in adolescence (Julian & Kilmann, 1979; Quay, 1979; Shamsie, 1981), Regardless of the theoretical perspective emphasized, or treatment strategies used, no single effort has emerged as a satisfactory approach to helping aggressive children learn to control their behav-ior. The development and implementation of effective treatment programs for violent, aggres-sive youth is a significant concern to the field, Patterns of aggressive behavior in children frequently appear to be well established before age nine (Patterson, 1982), Most treatment programs, however, involve children older than nine years, or involve adolescents, The results of several interve~tion programs suggest that GEORGE W. GRIFFIN is Special Education Con