Aim: To investigate the effects of age, gender, prenatal/perinatal factors, and maternal psychological distress on childhood emotional/behavioral problems, and the gender difference in the patterns of comorbid emotional/behavioral problems.
Methods:The sample included 1391 children aged 4-9 in Taipei using a multi-stage sampling method. Their mothers completed questionnaires including demographics, prenatal/perinatal variables, the Child Behavior Checklist, and the Chinese Health Questionnaire. The linear and non-linear mixed model was used for data analysis.Results: Boys scored higher on externalizing problems, and girls scored higher on internalizing problems. Gender also modified the comorbid patterns of emotional/behavioral problems. Aggressive behaviors decreased, but attention and thought problems increased with age. Prenatal/perinatal exposure to alcohol and coffee, vaginal bleeding, and gestational diabetes, low birthweight, and postnatal incubation and resuscitation, and maternal psychological distress predicted the risk for several childhood emotional/behavioral problems.
Conclusion:Prenatal/perinatal and maternal care, and gender-specific measures are important for prevention of childhood emotional/behavioral problems.Key words: childhood emotional/behavioral problems, comorbid patterns, maternal psychological distress, prenatal/perinatal factors. C HILDHOOD BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS are common and related to impairments in selfcompetence and family function.1 Early behavioral problems are predictive of poor adjustment and psychopathology in late adolescence.2 Therefore, it is essential to identify correlates and risk factors of childhood behavioral problems for the delivery of mental health services.Literature has documented more externalizing problems in boys, and more internalizing problems in girls; 3,4 and increased somatic complaints and withdrawal with age for boys, but decreased for girls.