The current findings help to reconcile overlapping but somewhat contrasting conceptualizations of CD symptom dimensions reported in the literature. The first genetic common factor of our model captures a narrower version of the rule-breaking factor identified in prior stud ies7-9,12 that appears similar to the “authority conflict” dimension described by Loeber and Hay.10 Our second genetic common factor reflects antisocial tendencies characterized in differing studies as “aggressive”7,9 or “overt.”8,10 The shared environmental common factor of our model combines aspects of delinquent and covert dimensions identified in prior studies.10,11 Beyond the level of phenotypic description, our findings tie these thematic subdimensions of CD to distinctive etiologic determinants. Prior research points to an especially strong role for genetic influences and only a weak role for shared environmental influences in callous-aggressive forms of CD.9,12,31,33 Consistent with this, criteria that emerged as indicators of the overt aggression factor in the current study showed clear contributions of genetic influences but minor or negligible contributions of shared environment. By contrast, prior research points to lesser genetic and more pronounced shared environmental contributions to nonaggressive forms of
