Abstract
The aims of this research were twofold: to investigate the relationship between family adversity (based on a composite index) and the number of teacher-rated behaviourally disordered children in kindergarten and to examine the relationship between family adversity and the stability of behavioural disorders from kindergarten to grade one. The sample was comprised of 3,026 children who were rated by their kindergarten and grade one teachers on three behavioural dimensions (aggressiveness-disruptiveness—13 items; anxiety-withdrawal—6 items; prosociality—10 items) using the Preschool Behavior Questionnaire (Behar & Stringfield, 1974) and the Pro-social Behavior Questionnaire (Weir & Duveen, 1981). The Family Adversity Index (FAI) was based on information provided by mothers pertaining to family structure, parents' occupation, parents' education level, and parents' age at the birth of the child. According to teacher ratings, children who obtained a score of 1.5 standard deviations above the mean of their same-gender classmates on the aggressiveness-disruptiveness and anxiety-withdrawal scales or 1.5 standard deviations below the mean of their same-gender classmates on the prosociality scale were classified as extremes on each of these dimensions. These were termed the “extreme cases.” Results showed that the number of extreme cases on the aggressiveness-disruptiveness scale in kindergarten was significantly related to FAI for both genders. Moreover, the number of extreme aggressive-disruptive cases who remained extreme after making the transition to grade one (i.e., stable cases) was also significantly related to FAI. For both genders, twice more stable aggressive-disruptive cases had a high FAI (i.e., top third) compared to transient extreme cases (i.e., extreme in kindergarten only). Discussion underlines the link between family adversity and incidence and persistence of behavioural problems during the early school years. It also stresses the need to consider family adversity to screen stable extreme aggressive-disruptive cases in kindergarten for early intervention purposes.
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