Replication of empirically derived syndromes as a basis for taxonomy of child/adolescent psychopathology

J Abnorm Child Psychol. 1989 Jun;17(3):299-323. doi: 10.1007/BF00917401.

Abstract

To advance the empirical identification of child/adolescent syndromes, principal components analyses were performed on four sets of parents' ratings of 8,194 6- to 16-year-olds referred to American and Dutch mental health services. The following syndromes replicated well for both sexes at ages 6-16: Aggressive, Anxious/Depressed, Attention Problems, Delinquent, Somatic Complaints, and Withdrawn. For both age ranges, a syndrome designated as Socially Inept replicated well among boys, and one designated as Mean replicated well among girls. Evidence was also found for a Schizoid syndrome in all sex/age groups and a Sex Problems syndrome among girls at ages 6-11. Syndrome scores discriminated well between nationwide normative and clinical samples. The replicated syndromes contribute to the empirical basis for a taxonomy of the kinds of disorders commonly seen between the ages of 6 and 16.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child Behavior Disorders / classification
  • Child Behavior Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Learning Disabilities / classification
  • Learning Disabilities / diagnosis*
  • Male
  • Psychological Tests
  • Psychopathology
  • Somatoform Disorders / classification
  • Somatoform Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Syndrome