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The researchers also examined the frequency of problem behaviors and the period of latency, or inactivity, between reported episodes. The Pittsburgh Youth Study offered a rare opportunity to assess recurrence of problem behaviors at 6-month intervals of repeated measures. Frequency of recurrence was measured by the number of assessment phases during which the problem behavior (within the same pathway and stage) was repeated. For instance, if a boy reported onset of vandalism in assessment B, he might report another stage 2 covert behavior, such as firesetting, in a future assessment. For the middle sample, the pattern of recurrence was similar across the three developmental pathways. Overall, 70 to 80% of the persisters reported a recurrence in one or two phases, and few boys reported a recurrence across all phases. For example, of the boys who persisted in fighting, recurrence was reported by 55% at only one assessment phase, by 24% at two phases, by 14% at three phases, and by 7% at four phases. Also, 53% of violent behavior recurred in contiguous phases, 21% with a lag of one phase, 5% with a lag of two phases, and 21% with a lag of three phases. For the oldest sample, the corresponding distribution was 50% for contiguous phases, 18% for a lag of one phase, 21% for a lag of two phases, and 12% for a lag of three phases. Therefore, aggressive behavior was shown to recur following a 6- to 18-month hiatus. The only significant differences between the middle and oldest samples in the frequency of recurrence was in the authority conflict pathway, in which the oldest sample reported a significantly higher frequency of recurrence than the middle sample. Latency to recurrence was examined by counting the number of inactive phases between those in which problem behavior was reported. With the exception of stubborn behavior in the middle sample and fighting in both the middle and oldest samples, 75 to 90% of the persistent problem behavior occurred in contiguous phases or with a lag of only one interval. The researchers repeated this analysis on frequency of and latency to recurrence, comparing African-American and Caucasian boys. The only significant difference found was the middle sample's frequency of authority avoidance -- African-American boys were more likely than Caucasian boys to engage in authority avoidance in more than three phases. Most boys continued their problem behaviors for one or two additional 6-month assessment phases. Persistent boys were most likely to either remain active in contiguous reporting phases or pause for one interval. Longer periods of latency were more commonly observed among boys persisting in aggressive behavior.
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