Preschool Developmental Pathways to Preadolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Problems

Abstract

The present study investigated longitudinal pathways from specific early preschool behavioral problems (ages 2-3 years) to internalizing and externalizing problems in preadolescence (ages 10-11 years), and the role of social problems at school entry (ages 4-5 years) in such pathways. Path analyses were performed using both parent and teacher reports in a sample of 251 to 346 children from the general population, depending on the availability of parent and teacher data at each time of assessment. Structural equation modeling revealed homotypic internalizing and externalizing pathways, predictions from early preschool externalizing problems to later internalizing problems, and negative predictive paths from early internalizing problems to externalizing problems in preadolescence. Cross-informant predictions spanning 8 years were found between parent-reported aggression and overactivity at ages 2-3 years and teacher-reported externalizing problems at ages 10-11 years. Further, results showed that boys' pathways were more complex and showed greater predictive validity than pathways for girls, and that social problems at school entry played a significant role in pathways to internalizing problems, but only for boys. The results are discussed from a developmental psychopathology perspective.

Early Findings of Preventive Child Healthcare Professionals Predict Psychosocial Problems in Preadolescence: The TRAILS Study

“…This finding confirms previous findings in other studies of early predictors for behavioral problems, which found that externalizing problems 23,24 and attention/hyperactivity problems 25 in childhood predicted later psychosocial problems. Other studies found that problems with enuresis in children were associated with behavioral problems.…”

“…A second explanation for this might simply be that few early childhood features are predictive for later emotional problems. 23,28,[32][33][34] A third possibility is that PCH professionals might not be adequately identifying or registering those factors that are predictive.…”

Testing a Dual Cascade Model Linking Competence and Symptoms Over 20 Years from Childhood to Adulthood

“…Academic competence was related to declines in depressive symptoms and emotional distress across elementary school years (Herman, Lambert, Ialongo, & Ostrander, 2007;Roeser, Eccles, & Sameroff, 2000). Similarly, broad indices of social competence such as social problems, peer status, and sociability predicted stability in internalizing symptoms across childhood and adolescence with lower social competence forecasting increases in symptoms (Chen, Li, Li, Li, & Liu, 2000;Kiesner, 2002;Mesman et al, 2001). Furthermore, studies indicate that longitudinal decline in academic and social competence predicted higher levels of current internalizing symptoms (Chen, Rubin, & Li, 1995;Cole, Martin, & Powers, 1997;Kellam, Rebok, Mayer, Ialongo, & Kalodner, 1994).…”

“…However, some studies suggest that the effect of internalizing symptoms on academic competence is less robust than the effect of academic competence on internalizing symptoms (Cole et al, 1997;Shochet, Dadds, Ham, & Montague, 2006). Similarly, a few studies indicate that internalizing symptoms may undermine social competence; however, these effects seem to be inconsistent across age, gender, and indices of social competence (Capaldi, 1992;Capaldi & Stoolmiller, 1999;Cole et al, 1997;Mesman et al, 2001). In a study examining transactional effects, Cole et al (1996) reported that competence predicted longitudinal stability in symptoms, whereas symptoms did not predict longitudinal stability in competence.…”

“…Cole (1991) showed that associations between competence and depressive symptoms were linear in boys and nonlinear in girls, such that girls with extreme levels of academic and social incompetence were particularly vulnerable to internalizing symptoms. Although researchers point out that girls are more negatively affected by interpersonal stressors (Crick & Zahn-Waxler, 2003;Little & Garber, 2004), a few studies indicate that peer popularity and social problems were more strongly related to boys' internalizing symptoms than girls' (Girgus, Nolen-Hoeksema, & Seligman, 1989;Mesman et al, 2001). Given robust gender differences in the prevalence and manifestation of internalizing across adolescence and adulthood, it is important to examine how different age-salient domains of adaptive functioning contribute to development of internalizing symptoms and vice versa.…”