Models of Adolescent Psychopathology: Childhood Risk and the Transition to Adulthood

doi:10.1097/00004583-199505000-00019

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Volume 34, Issue 5, May 1995, Pages 670-679

https://doi.org/10.1097/00004583-199505000-00019 Get rights and content

ABSTRACT

Objective

To examine the relationship between DSM-III disorder in adolescence (age 15 years) and DSM-III-R disorder in early adulthood (age 18 years), in relation to a history of behavior problems or disorder, other family and individual characteristics, and events commonly associated with the transition to adulthood.

Method

The sample came from a New Zealand birth cohort selected from the general population. Data were obtained from ages 3 to 18 years for 890 of those enrolled.

Results

For both males and females, disorder at age 15 was strongly predicted by histories of early mental health problems. However, neither those histories, background characteristics, nor the experience of adolescent transition events modified the strength of association between disorder at ages 15 and 18 years. In childhood, after adjusting for histories of behavior problems, parental separations and (for boys) poor social competence remained independent predictors of disorder at age 15. Overall, boys appeared more vulnerable and those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds in early childhood had an elevated risk of disorder at age 18. After adjusting for disorder at age 15, adolescent unemployment remained an independent predictor of disorder at age 18 for both males and females.

Conclusions

This study modeled the continuity of disorder across the adolescent transition period and, after taking earlier disorder into account, identified clear predictors of later disorder. This is the first step in the process of developing more effective interventions to reduce the risk of mental health disorders.

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: The analyses described herein were funded by HRC grant 91/29, and data collection was supported by grants to Dr. T. E. Moffitt (NIMH, 1-23-MH42723, RO1-MH43746, and RO1-MH45070). The authors thank Dr. P. A. Silva, Professor A. Hornblow, Professor S. Kellam, and Ms. F. Regan for their comments on earlier versions of this report.

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SPECIAL ARTICLEModels of Adolescent Psychopathology: Childhood Risk and the Transition to Adulthood

ABSTRACT

Objective

Method

Results

Conclusions

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry

Addict Behav

J Appl Dev Psychol

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry

Soc Sci Med

Clin Psychol Rev

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry

The relation between values and social competence in early adolescence

Dev Psychol

Family influences and child psychopathology

Curr Opin Psychiatry

DSM-III disorders in preadolescent children: prevalence in a large sample from the general population

Arch Gen Psychiatry

Social competence promotion with inner-city and suburban young adolescents; effects on social adjustment and alcohol use

J Consult Clin Psychol

Common and uncommon pathways to adolescent psychopathology and problem behavior

The study of transitions: conceptual and methodological issues

Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC) Contract No. RFP-DB-81–0027

Developmental intervention: enhancing life-event processes

A socio-economic index for New Zealand based on levels of education and income from the 1966 census

N Z J Educ Stud

The Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development: a long-term follow-up of 411 males

DSM-III-R disorders in New Zealand 18-year-olds

Aust N Z J Psychiatry

Neuropsychological correlates of psychopathology in an unselected cohort of young adolescents

J Abnorm Psychol

Burt Word Reading Test: New Zealand Revision, Teachers Manual

The family and psychopathology

Annu Rev Psychol

The quality of social support: measures of family and work relationships

Br J Clin Psychol

Denver Youth Survey Youth Interview Schedule

A socio-economic index for the female labour force in New Zealand

N Z J Educ Stud

The Houston Parent-Child Development Center and primary prevention of behavior problems in young children

Am J Community Psychol

Primary prevention of behavior problems in Mexican-American children

Am J Community Psychol

SPECIAL ARTICLE
Models of Adolescent Psychopathology: Childhood Risk and the Transition to Adulthood