Unintentional injury in preschool boys with and without early onset of disruptive behavior.

Abstract

To determine subsequent risk of unintentional injury among preschool boys diagnosed with ODD, boys with comorbid ODD and ADHD, and boys matched demographically to the clinical sample; to test predictive validity of a measure of injury proneness; and to examine factors that might predict injury beyond clinic status. Seventy-nine consecutive clinic-referred preschool-age boys and 76 demographically matched boys without disruptive behavior participated in a 2-year prospective longitudinal design. Time 1 assessment included clinical diagnosis, parent-reported injury proneness, attachment, and verbal abilities. Injury history was measured 1 and 2 years later. Clinic-referred children had more injuries than the comparison group. Children with comorbid ODD and ADHD had approximately the same injury rate as those with ODD but not ADHD. Parent-reported injury proneness was unrelated to subsequent injuries. Neither attachment nor verbal ability predicted injury significantly beyond clinic status. Children with early disruptive behavior are at increased risk of unintentional injury and therefore should be considered prime candidates for injury prevention campaigns.