Profiles of externalizing behavior problems for boys and girls across preschool: The roles of emotion regulation and inattention.

Abstract

Although externalizing behavior typically peaks in toddlerhood and decreases by school entry, some children do not show this normative decline. A sample of 383 boys and girls was assessed at ages 2, 4, and 5 for externalizing behavior and at age 2 on measures of emotion regulation and inattention. A longitudinal latent profile analysis was performed and resulted in 4 longitudinal profiles of externalizing behavior for each gender. Poor emotion regulation and inattention were important predictors of membership in the chronic-clinical profile for girls, whereas socioeconomic status and inattention were important predictors of membership in the chronic-clinical profile for boys. Results are discussed with respect to the development of adaptive skills that lead to normative declines in externalizing behavior across childhood.

Screening for Significant Behavior Problems in Diverse Young Children Living in Poverty

“…Initial analyses found that parents of younger children endorsed behavioral items as being more frequent than parents of older children. This finding is consistent with longitudinal research which found a peak of behavior problems around age two that declines by age four and five (Hill, Degan, Calkins, & Keane, 2006). From a developmental perspective, younger children may be more prone to externalizing behaviors, in part, because their ability to communicate displeasure through other means is limited (i.e., speech).…”

“…Although the option of creating separate cut scores by gender was considered, it was ultimately decided against doing so because of the absence of a gender effect for the clinical sample, the small effect size observed in the non-clinical sample, and previous research that suggests that externalizing profiles in preschoolers do not substantially vary across gender. Longitudinal research has found that the trajectory for externalizing behaviors for males and females are similar in preschool aged children (Beyer, Postert, Muller, Furniss, 2012;Hill, Degan, Calkins, and Keane, 2006). For example, Hill, Degan, Calkins, and Keane (2006) found that although reasons for membership in externalizing groups were different across genders, the trend in the developmental course across genders for preschool aged children was markedly similar.…”

“…Longitudinal research has found that the trajectory for externalizing behaviors for males and females are similar in preschool aged children (Beyer, Postert, Muller, Furniss, 2012;Hill, Degan, Calkins, and Keane, 2006). For example, Hill, Degan, Calkins, and Keane (2006) found that although reasons for membership in externalizing groups were different across genders, the trend in the developmental course across genders for preschool aged children was markedly similar. Age of the child also impacts the expression of an externalizing behavior disorder and this trend was also captured by the ECBS.…”

“…Age of the child also impacts the expression of an externalizing behavior disorder and this trend was also captured by the ECBS. Research has consistently found a higher frequency of externalizing behavior at younger ages, particularly ages two and three, which gradually declines as the child ages (Hill, Degan, Calkins, & Keane, 2006;Miner & Clarke-Stewart, 2008).…”

Problem behaviours and symptom dimensions of psychiatric disorders in adults with intellectual disabilities: An exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis

“…There is a growing recognition of the relevance of emotion regulation to developmental psychopathology (Gross & Thompson, 2007). Compared to broader emotion regulation research (Aldao et al, 2010;Hill et al, 2006) the study of emotion regulation in individuals with intellectual disabilities is at an early stage (McClure et al, 2009). However, recent studies have begun to investigate the relationship between emotional dysregulation, problem behaviours and psychiatric disorders (Sappok et al, 2014) and our findings further highlight the link between emotional dysregulation and problem behaviours.…”