The current findings are consistent with the developmental model posited by problem behavior theory, in the sense that a significant proportion of children with early aggressive-disruptive behaviors exhibited one of two patterns of adolescent problem behaviors that included heightened risk for negative sexual outcomes (pregnancy, STDs). However, these two patterns differed significantly, with one involving the very early initiation of the tri-morbid array of risky behaviors (tobacco, alcohol/drug use, and risky sexual activity) and the other representing a pattern of delayed risk that involved the initiation of problem behaviors in mid-adolescence (without associated alcohol/drug use among the girls). Relative to the low-risk class, the two classes with heightened risk for negative sexual outcomes (classes 1 or 2) shared a set of early childhood risks. Common kindergarten characteristics included elevated inattention, low family SES, and low parental warmth relative to the low-risk class. In addition, all except the girls in the adolescent dual-problem class also had higher levels of aggression, lower cognitive ability, and (among boys) reading difficulties at kindergarten entry relative to youth who emerged in the low-risk class. These
