Abstract
Background There is growing recognition that violence and other forms of conduct problems increase during adolescence. The exact relationship between biological, psychological, and social variables has not been defined yet.
Objectives To analyze whether Intelligence Quotients (IQS), neurological history, child behavioral problems, executive functions, and soft neurological signs (SNS) can differentiate between undisciplined and unreliable adolescents (Behavioral Dysregulation Disorder subjects, BDD) and normal controls.
Method Twenty-five 13 to 16-year-olds, adolescents with BDD and 25 matched controls were used in this study. WISC-R, executive function assessment, neurological history, child behavioral problems, and SNS scores were analyzed using a Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). A Multiple Regression Stepwise with Criteria Probability of F Analysis was used for predicting criteria variable variance-Results WISC-R Verbal 1Q (VIQ), Information, Similarities, and Vocabulary subtests presented statistically significant differences between BDD and controls (p <. 001). No Performance IQ (P1Q) variables established significant differences between both groups. Executive function scores did not detect significant differences between groups either. Prenatal, neonatal, and neurological history scores were similar between both groups. Two child behavioral problem variables were significantly different, with higher scores in BDD group: use of weapons and drug-use (p <. 05). A Multiple Regression Stepwise (Criteria Probability of F <. 05) model, entering the predictive variables in each domain