Predicting Internalizing and Externalizing Problems at Five Years by Child and Parental Factors in Infancy and Toddlerhood

Abstract

This study examined child and parental factors in infancy and toddlerhood predicting subclinical or clinical levels of internalizing and externalizing problems at 5 years of age. Ninety-six children and their families participated. They were assessed when the children were 4-10 weeks old (T1), 2 years (T2) and 5 years old (T3). Child risks (difficult temperament, health problems, early emotional and behavioral problems), parental risks (psychopathology, parenting stress and perception of the child) and family risks (socio-economic status, quality of marital relationship and family violence) were examined. At 5 years, internalizing problems were predicted by family violence during the child's infancy and parenting stress at age 2. Externalizing problems were predicted by psychiatric problems of the mother before pregnancy and child's externalizing problems at 2 years of age. When interventions aiming at preventing emotional and behavioral problems in children are considered, these issues should be recognized early and effective intervention initiated.

Examining pathways linking maternal depressive symptoms in infancy to children’s behavior problems: The role of maternal unresponsiveness and negative behaviors

“…Contrary to prediction and prior research (Mantymaa et al, 2012; Shaw, Owens, Giovannellli, & Winslow, 2001), maternal depressive symptoms, maternal unresponsiveness, and overtly negative behavior were not significantly associated with child externalizing at 2 years in the path model. Consistent with the results for internalizing symptoms, infant negative emotionality did not exacerbate links between maternal depressive symptoms and child externalizing behaviors, or the links between both insensitive maternal behaviors and child externalizing behaviors.…”

“…Consistent with the hypothesis, and prior research (Mantymaa et al, 2012), maternal depressive symptoms were linked with more unresponsive maternal behaviors. Unresponsive maternal behaviors, including limited reaction to infant cues and distracted actions, may stem from the tendency of mothers with elevated depressive symptoms to focus on their own needs more so than their infants’ (Dix, Moed, & Anderson, 2014).…”

“…Alternatively, it is possible that prior reported associations between maternal depressive symptoms and externalizing behavior are actually a function of the shared variance between internalizing and externalizing (Mantymaa et al, 2012). In this study, the shared variance between internalizing symptoms and externalizing symptoms was controlled by allowing them to correlate in the path model in contrast to much previous research.…”

Maternal stress and young children's behavioural development: a prospective pilot study from 8 to 36 months in a Finnish sample

“…PSI × time ¼ ns. Mäntymaa et al (2012) found that 24-month-old children's internalising problem behaviour were more highly related to parenting stress at an infants' age of 4-10 weeks than externalising problem behaviour. In our analyses controlling for the number of siblings, however, parent reported children's externalising problems decreased over time, regardless of maternal stress level, whereas parent report of internalising problems remained stable over time.…”

“…have an impact on this dyad (Abidin, 1999). Maternal stress and maternal psychiatric well-being is associated with young children's behavioural development, such as greater infant reactivity to novelty, externalising and internalising behavioural problems, and motivation and competence in social situations (Keim et al, 2011;Mäntymaa et al, 2012;Saisto, Salmela-Aro, Nurmi, & Halmesmäki, 2008;Sparks, Hunter, Backman, Morgan, & Ross, 2012;Yaman, Mesman, van Ijzendoorn, & Bakermans-Kranenburg, 2010;Werner et al, 2012). Maternal distress may increase negative judgments about infant behaviour, and mothers reporting high parenting stress may be less responsive ('sensitive') to their infants' needs/demands (Pereira et al, 2012;Werner et al, 2012).…”