A two-year follow-up of boys with aggressive conduct disorder

53 boys with aggressive conduct disorder (ACD) and 36 with other psychiatric disorders were followed up after 2 years. Twenty-nine of the former (55%) still met the criteria for ACD; 24 did not. Persistence of the conduct disorder was predicted by the symptoms of hyperactivity and inattention. The data suggest that there are two types of ACD: one short-lived and quite benign, the other more likely to persist and more serious.