ABSTRACT
Because we considered psychiatric dimensions of disruptive behavior in the last chapter, we now shift to more psychological constructs. There is mounting evidence that there are two important constructs in disruptive behaviors in children and juveniles: overt or confrontational acts and covert or nonconfrontational acts. These may also be conceptualized as consisting of a single dimension with two poles, as indicated by a meta-analysis of rating scales filled out by parents and teachers on 28,401 youth (Frick et al., 1993; see also Loeber & Schmaling, 1985a).
