Subtypes of aggressive conduct disorder.

The subjects were 46 boys with aggressive conduct disorder who were admitted to a psychiatric ward. We divided them according to level of activity and number of antisocial "symptoms"; then compared the resulting groups on clinical and social variables. Seventy-four per cent of the boys were observed to be hyperactive. Compared to those with a normal level of activity, this group developed their problems earlier, had more frequent speech and language deficits and came from more disrupted homes. Thirty boys were classed as antisocial and 16 as not. The former differed from the latter chiefly in their failure to respond to treatment. At follow-up significantly more non-antisocial boys were improved than antisocial. The results suggest that antisocial behavior affects outcome, while the variations in activity level are related to different origins of the disorder.