Externalizing disorders of childhood and adolescence

Symptoms of common mental disorders in children and adolescents have been conceptually organized into two broad dimensions. One dimension has been labeled as undercontrolled or externalizing and includes various acting out, disruptive, delinquent, hyperactive, and aggressive behaviors. The second dimension has been labeled as overcontrolled or internalizing and includes such behaviors as social withdrawal, anxiety, and depression. The distinction between internalizing and externalizing problems, beyond a general psychopathology construct, is well supported by a number of factor analytic studies. Within the externalizing dimension, there are two major categories of behavior problems. These categories of behavior problems include problems of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity associated with a diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and conduct problems and aggressive behavior associated with a diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder. These two domains of externalizing problems can be separated in factor analyses and exhibit different correlates.