COVID-19 underscores the importance of understanding variation in adherence to rules concerning health behaviors. Children with conduct problems have difficulty with rule adherence, and linking early conduct problems with later adherence to COVID-19 guidelines can provide new insight into public health. The current study employed a sample (N = 744) designed to examine the longitudinal consequences of childhood conduct problems (Mean age at study entry = 8.39). The first objective was to link early conduct problems with later adherence to both general and specific COVID-19 guidelines during emerging adulthood (M age = 19.07). The second objective was to prospectively examine how interactional (i.e., callous unemotional traits, impulsivity) and cumulative (i.e., educational attainment, work status, substance use) continuity factors mediated this association. The third objective was to examine differences in sex assigned at birth in these models. Direct associations were observed between childhood conduct problems and lower general, but not specific COVID-19 guideline adherence. Conduct problems were indirectly associated with both general and specific adherence via higher levels of callous unemotional traits, and with specific adherence via higher problematic substance use. No differences in the models were observed across sex assigned at birth. Findings provide insight into both how developmental psychopathology constructs are useful for understanding COVID-19 guideline adherence, and the ways in which conduct problems may shape health outcomes.

COVID-19强调了理解变异性以遵守有关健康行为的规则的重要性。有行为问题的孩子在遵守规则方面有困难，将早期行为问题与以后遵守COVID-19准则联系起来可以提供对公共卫生的新见解。目前的研究采用了一个样本（N= 744），旨在检查儿童行为问题的纵向后果（入学时的平均年龄= 8.39）。第一个目标是将新兴成人期间（年龄19.07）的早期行为问题与后来对一般和特定COVID-19指南的坚持联系起来。第二个目标是前瞻性地研究相互作用（即，无情的无情特征，冲动性）和累积性（即，受教育程度，工作状态，物质使用）连续性因素如何介导这种关联。第三个目标是检查在这些模型中出生时分配的性别差异。观察到儿童行为问题和较低的一般水平之间存在直接关联，但没有具体的COVID-19指南依从性。行为问题通过较高水平的无情情绪特征与一般和特定依从性间接相关，而与较高问题物质的使用与特定依从性间接相关。在出生时分配的性别之间没有观察到模型差异。研究结果提供了关于发展性心理病理学如何有助于理解COVID-19指南依从性以及行为问题如何影响健康结果的见解。