The study of externalizing and internalizing behaviours in Greek, Russian, Indian, and Chinese children using the Fairy Tale Test

Abstract

The present study investigated externalizing and internalizing behaviours in Greek (n = 599), Russian (n = 596), Indian (n = 571), and Chinese (n = 376) 7- to-12-year-old children. The Fairy Tale Test was used to measure impulsive and motivated aggression, fear of aggression, anxiety, and depression. The results indicated culture-specific patterns of the aforementioned behaviours. Greek children demonstrated the highest levels of impulsive and motivated aggression, while Russian children had the highest fear of aggression. Chinese children appeared to be most anxious among other cultural groups. Both Russian and Indian children were more depressed than their Greek and Chinese counterparts. Gender and age difference were obtained only for impulsive aggression. Regardless of culture, boys scored higher compared to girls; and 7- to 8-year-old children demonstrated higher level of impulsive aggression than older children. The obtained results are interpreted in light of contextual differences in child socialization in four cultures; suggestions for school psychology practices are offered.

Corporal punishment and children's externalizing problems: A cross-sectional study of Tanzanian primary school aged children

“…However, it also revealed some cultural distinctiveness, the most common type of aggressive behavior for example, as well as the meaning and the justification for the use of aggressive behavior (Severance et al, 2013). Savina, Coulacoglou, Sanyal, and Zhang (2011) suggested that children's externalizing and internalizing problems also have some specific cultural features. Findings from DR Congo, Ethopia and Nigeria showed that externalizing problems such as conduct disorder, antisocial disorder and hyperactivity are also a common phenomenon in Sub-Saharan Africa (Adelekan, Ndom, Ekpo, & Oluboka, 1999;Ashenafi, Kebede, Desta, & Alem, 2001;Kashala, Elgen, Sommerfelt, & Tylleskar, 2005).…”

Anxiety and depression in academic performance: An exploration of the mediating factors of worry and working memory

“…Experiencing emotional states such as anxiety and depression is a universal phenomenon (Spielberger, 2006) reported internationally in children and adolescents in various countries including Australia, India, Greece, Russia, and China (Neil & Christensen, 2009; Sahoo & Khess, 2010; Savina, Coulacoglou, Sanyal, & Jhang, 2011; Tully, Zajac, & Venning, 2009). For example, Shin (2010) reports that 41% of the 80,000 Korean children completing a web-based survey experienced depressive affect.…”

The trajectories of child’s internalizing and externalizing problems, social competence and adolescent self-reported problems in a Finnish normal population sample

“…In most societies girls tend to score higher on internalizing kinds of problems, especially at ages 12- to 16-years-old and boys on externalizing kinds of problems, especially at ages 6- to 11-years-old (Crijnen et al., 1997; Rescorla et al., 2007a). There are also culture-specific patterns of internalizing and externalizing problems (Savina, Coulacoglou, Sanyal, & Zhang, 2012). In the school environment, externalizing problems are more apparent than internalizing problems.…”