Social competence, externalizing, and internalizing behavioral adjustment from early childhood through early adolescence: Developmental cascades

Abstract

This study used a 3-wave longitudinal design to investigate developmental cascades among social competence and externalizing and internalizing behavioral adjustment in a normative sample of 117 children seen at 4, 10, and 14 years. Children, mothers, and teachers provided data. A series of nested path analysis models was used to determine the most parsimonious and plausible cascades across the three constructs over and above their covariation at each age and stability across age. Children with lower social competence at age 4 years exhibited more externalizing and internalizing behaviors at age 10 years and more externalizing behaviors at age 14 years. Children with lower social competence at age 4 years also exhibited more internalizing behaviors at age 10 years and more internalizing behaviors at age 14 years. Children who exhibited more internalizing behaviors at age 4 years exhibited more internalizing behaviors at age 10 years and more externalizing behaviors at age 14 years. These cascades among social competence and behavioral adjustment obtained independent of child intelligence and maternal education and social desirability of responding.

Factor Validation of the Portuguese Version of the Social Skills Scale of the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales

“…Children with poor social skills are at risk of being marginalized in their social relationships (Arslan et al, 2011) or labeled "socially incompetent" (Bornstein et al, 2010). This evidence justifies the growing interest in the study of disorders associated with social skill deficits diagnosed in the preschool period, such as the Autism Spectrum Disorders (Wang et al, 2011), among others.…”

“…There is evidence in the literature which suggests that social competence predicts long-term social adjustment and is a key factor for development and school adjustment (Arnold, Kupersmidt, Voegler-Lee, & Marshall, 2012; Bornstein, Hahn, & Haynes, 2010;Denham, Wyatt, Bassett, Echeverria, & Knox, 2009;Kwon et al, 2012), as well as for family life and life in general (Arslan, Durmusoğlu-Saltali, & Yilmaz, 2011). Furthermore, the ability to interact successfully with peers and significant adults is one of the most important aspects of the children's development (Anme et al, 2013;Arslan et al, 2011.;Bornstein et al, 2010;Wang, Sandall, Davis, & Thomas, 2011), especially in what concerns socialization (Anme et al, 2013;Arslan et al, 2011;Kwon et al, 2012;Lopes et al, 2006).…”

“…Furthermore, the ability to interact successfully with peers and significant adults is one of the most important aspects of the children's development (Anme et al, 2013;Arslan et al, 2011.;Bornstein et al, 2010;Wang, Sandall, Davis, & Thomas, 2011), especially in what concerns socialization (Anme et al, 2013;Arslan et al, 2011;Kwon et al, 2012;Lopes et al, 2006). In this sense, the preschool period proves to be crucial for the assessment of social skills, as various aspects of social behavior emerge in this phase (Wang et al, 2011), such as an increased emphasis on friendships and status among peers (Denham et al, 2009).…”

“…This evidence justifies the growing interest in the study of disorders associated with social skill deficits diagnosed in the preschool period, such as the Autism Spectrum Disorders (Wang et al, 2011), among others. Thus, the collection of information regarding the socioemotional and behavioral skills of the child can have multiple purposes, such as identifying the presence of a delay in the socioemotional skills, collecting clues to assess the degree of impairment associated with externalizing (Gomes, Crepaldi, & Bigras, 2013) and/or internalizing behavior problems, or even facilitating planning of interventions focused on the potential/positive behaviors of the child (Arnold et al, 2012;Bornstein et al, 2010).…”

"Eu posso resolver problemas" e oficinas de linguagem: intervenções para queixa escolar

“…Na média meninice, três domínios de competência correspondem às três tarefas centrais da fase: os domínios interpessoal, comportamental e acadêmico (Bornstein, Hahn, & Haynes, 2010;Masten & Coatsworth, 1998).…”