Trajectories of Externalizing Behavior Problems in Young Children and its Associations with Elementary School Adjustment and Executive Function Difficulties: Using Growth Mixture Modeling

Abstract

Objectives This study examined types of trajectories for externalizing behavior problems from 4-6 year olds and differences in school adjustment and executive function difficulties of first-grade children for elementary school by types of trajectories for externalizing behavior problems. Methods The 2012-2015 data of Panel Study on Korean Children (PSKC) were used. The sample for this analysis was 1518 children and their mothers and teachers participated from the first (2012) to the fifth (2015) years. Data was analyzed using growth mixture modeling. Results First, externalizing behavior problems from 4-6 year olds showed linearly decreasing change over time. Second, four distinct latent classes of externalizing behavior problems for young children were found (low-decreasing trajectory, high-stable trajectory, moderate-increasing trajectory, and high-decreasing trajectory). Finally, there were differences the level of school adjustment and executive function difficulties by four distinct latent classes of externalizing behavior problems. Young children were on high-stable trajectory showed the lowest level of school adjustment and the highest level of executive function difficulties, while young children were on low-decreasing trajectory showed the highest level of school adjustment and the lowest level of executive function difficulties. These result showed that four distinct trajectories for externalizing behavior problems from 4-6 year olds was closely related to school adjustment and executive function difficulties of the first-grade children for elementary school. Conclusions Finding suggest the importance of the early intervention on young children’s behavior problems grounded by four distinct latent classes of externalizing behavior problems for young children. Keywords: externalizing behavior problems, school adjustment, executive function difficulties, trajectory, growth mixture model