Levels Of Behavior Problems Research Articles

Longitudinal Relations Between Parenting and Child Adjustment in Young Children

We studied the predictive relations between reports of parenting behavior on the one hand and academic achievement and reported behavior problems of young children on the other hand. Data were gathered for 352 children and their parents from kindergarten to 2nd grade. The results indicated that in the academic domain, low supportive and high controlling parenting practices were modestly related to poor subsequent math achievement. Children's externalizing and attention problem behavior was clearly predictive of high levels of control in mothers and low levels of support in fathers. The combination of high parental support and control was especially associated with high levels of problem behavior. However, when previous parenting and child adjustment were taken into account, the magnitude of the predictive power of parenting for child adjustment, and of child adjustment for parenting, remained limited.

The emotional and behavioural adjustment of intellectually gifted adolescents: a multi-dimensional, multi-informant approach

This study compared the emotional and behavioural adjustment of a group of 33 intellectually gifted adolescents with a matched group of 25 adolescents of average ability, using the Behaviour Assessment System for Children. It is the first study to comprehensively examine the psychological adjustment of intellectually gifted adolescents using both multi-informant ratings and multi-dimensional, co-normed instruments. Parent ratings indicated that the intellectually gifted adolescents showed lower levels of problem behaviour than their peers of average ability. Teacher ratings indicated no significant differences between the two groups. Adolescent self-reports showed no difference on a global measure of emotional adjustment. However, intellectually gifted adolescents reported significantly fewer depressive symptoms, a better attitude towards teachers, greater self-reliance and a greater sense of adequacy.

An Investigation of the Types of Problem Behaviors Exhibited by K–12 Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders in Public School Settings

This cross-sectional study used random sampling procedures to (a) establish proportions of K–12 students meeting borderline and clinical cut scores on the Teacher Report Form (TRF) of the Child Behavior Checklist, (b) examine age and gender differences in distributions of students meeting borderline or clinical levels of problem behavior, and (c) determine proportions of students displaying comorbid problem behaviors. Overall, our findings indicate that (a) more students met borderline or clinical cut scores on the Total and Externalizing broad band scales than on the Internalizing scale, (b) larger proportions of children met the cut scores on the TRF Total, Externalizing, and Internalizing broad bands and a majority of narrow band scales than adolescents, (c) larger proportions of girls than boys met cut scores on the three broad band and four narrow band scales (i.e., Aggressive Behavior, Withdrawn, Social Problems, Attention Problems), and (d) larger proportions of children exhibited clinical levels of comorbidity on the TRF broad and narrow bands than adolescents. The results, limitations, and implications are discussed.

Does amount of time spent in child care predict socioemotional adjustment during the transition to kindergarten?

To examine relations between time in nonmaternal care through the first 4.5 years of life and children's socioemotional adjustment, data on social competence and problem behavior were examined when children participating in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care were 4.5 years of age and when in kindergarten. The more time children spent in any of a variety of nonmaternal care arrangements across the first 4.5 years of life, the more externalizing problems and conflict with adults they manifested at 54 months of age and in kindergarten, as reported by mothers, caregivers, and teachers. These effects remained, for the most part, even when quality, type, and instability of child care were controlled, and when maternal sensitivity and other family background factors were taken into account. The magnitude of quantity of care effects were modest and smaller than those of maternal sensitivity and indicators of family socioeconomic status, though typically greater than those of other features of child care, maternal depression, and infant temperament. There was no apparent threshold for quantity effects. More time in care not only predicted problem behavior measured on a continuous scale in a dose-response pattern but also predicted at-risk (though not clinical) levels of problem behavior, as well as assertiveness, disobedience, and aggression.

Physical Discipline and Behavior Problems in African American, European American, and Hispanic Children: Emotional Support as a Moderator

Using data collected over a 6‐year period on a sample of 1,039 European American children, 550 African American children, and 401 Hispanic children from the children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, this study assessed whether maternal emotional support of the child moderates the relation between spanking and behavior problems. Children were 4–5 years of age in the first of 4 waves of data used (1988, 1990, 1992, 1994). At each wave, mothers reported their use of spanking and rated their children's behavior problems. Maternal emotional support of the child was based on interviewer observations conducted as part of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment. For each of the 3 racial‐ethnic groups, spanking predicted an increase in the level of problem behavior over time, controlling for income‐needs ratio and maternal emotional support. Maternal emotional support moderated the link between spanking and problem behavior. Spanking was associated with an increase in behavior problems over time in the context of low levels of emotional support, but not in the context of high levels of emotional support. This pattern held for all 3 racial‐ethnic groups.

Epilepsy and associated psychopathology in young people with intellectual disability.

This study aimed to investigate the role of epilepsy in psychopathology among an epidemiological sample of young people with intellectual disability (ID). The study also compared behavioural and emotional problems in young people on medication to control their epilepsy with those not on medication, and young people with epilepsy who were having current seizure activity with those with no current seizure activity. An epidemiological cohort of 392 participants, representative of the general Australian population of young people with ID, were used in the study. One hundred and fifteen individuals from this cohort were identified as suffering from epilepsy. The Developmental Behaviour Checklist was used to measure symptoms of behavioural and emotional disturbance. Results confirmed that young people with ID and epilepsy did not differ from controls without epilepsy on measures of psychopathology. Furthermore, those with epilepsy on medication had no difference in levels of problem behaviours than epileptics not on medication. The results suggest that epilepsy has little or no influence on problem behaviours for young people with ID. Our attempt to understand the pathogenesis of behaviour problems in persons with ID may be better directed towards understanding genetic mechanisms than epilepsy pathologies.

Predicting change in problem behavior from child and family characteristics and stress in referred children and adolescents

A three-wave longitudinal study design with two 6-month intervals was used to examine the stability and change in Internalizing, Externalizing, and Total Problem behavior among children and adolescents referred to outpatient mental health services. Our results indicated high stabilities for parent ratings of child psychopathology across a 1-year interval. Additionally, we found decreases in the level of problem behavior. Interindividual differences in change were found for Total Problems and Externalizing behavior but not for Internalizing. While both the child's temperament and intelligence level and family relations were related to the initial level of parent-rated problem behavior, only intermediary stressful life events had an influence on the rate of change of child psychopathology.

Developmental trajectories of disruptive behavior problems in preschool children of adolescent mothers.

Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), we analyzed individual developmental trajectories of disruptive behavior problems between ages 3.5 to 6.0 years for 183 children of adolescent mothers. We examined how the level of problem behavior (intercept) and the rate of change over time (slope) are influenced by child's sex, mother's depression/anxiety symptoms, and mother's use of negative control for regulating child behavior. On average, disruptive behavior decreased from age 3.5 to 6.0. Child sex and maternal depression/anxiety related to the level of behavior problems but not to the rate of change. Boys and children of more depressed/anxious mothers exhibited higher levels of disruptive behavior. Maternal negative control was associated with both level of disruptive behavior and rate of change, and negative control mediated the effects of maternal depression/anxiety. Greater negative control corresponded to higher levels of behavior problems and no reduction in their display over time. Child race moderated effects of negative control.

Within-session patterns of responding during functional analyses: the role of establishing operations in clarifying behavioral function

Functional analysis procedures have been demonstrated to be effective for identifying the operant mechanisms underlying problem behavior. However, functional analyses sometimes yield results that are undifferentiated (i.e., show similar levels of responding across test conditions). Within-session (i.e., minute-by-minute) analyses of response patterns during undifferentiated functional analyses have proven useful in clarifying behavioral function. This study extends previous research by examining within-session changes in responding associated with variations in relevant establishing operations. Levels of problem behavior during the presentation and removal of reinforcement were compared when responding occurred in test conditions associated with sources of social reinforcement (i.e., access to attention, materials, escape). Results showed that changes in responding associated with changes in relevant establishing operations could be examined to clarify behavioral function.

Predicting Problem Behavior and Self-Esteem among African American Adolescents

The current study investigated the utility of using stress, social support, and racial identity to predict problem behavior and self-esteem among African American adolescents. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to test the predictive ability of the Lazarus and Folkman model. Stressful life events and lack of perceived support from friends were predictive of problem behavior (e.g., drug and alcohol use, delinquent acts) in a sample of 221 African American 9th through 12th-grade adolescents. Strong support from friends attenuated the effects of stress. One racial-identity variable (attitudes toward African Americans) contributed to the prediction ofproblem behavior after other variables were entered into the regression equation. More positive attitudes predicted lower levels ofproblem behavior. Similar results were obtained in a regression analysis using self-esteem as the dependent variable. The current study concluded that stress models are useful with African Americans, particularly if a racial-identity variable is included.

Structure of problem and positive behaviors in African American youths.

The association of 21 problem and positive behaviors was explored in a sample of 283 inner-city, African American youths of ages 8 through 12. Data reduction yielded 4 factors, 3 representing different types or levels of problem behavior, labeled Interpersonal-Minor Deviance, School Problems, and Covert-High Deviance, and 1 representing positive behaviors. The 3 problem behavior factors, although not the positive behavior factor, were significantly correlated with an underlying second-order general deviance factor. The problem behavior clusters identified differed by the settings in which they occur as well as their inherent magnitude of deviance. Discriminant validity analyses confirmed that deviance was not a unitary phenomenon. Limitations as well as other implications of the data are discussed.

Behavior Problems of Learning-Disabled, Low-Achieving, and Average Boys: A Comparative Study with the Conners Teacher Ratings Scales-28

Problem behaviors of elementary-age boys with learning disabilities (n = 91) were compared with those of low-achieving (n = 100) and average-achieving (n = 77) boys on teacher ratings from the 28-item version of the Conners Teacher Rating Scale. Analysis of variance procedures revealed significant group effects on all subscales of the instrument. The learning-disabled boys were rated as having significantly greater levels of problem behavior than did the average-achieving boys on all four of the instrument's subscales. The low-achieving boys had significantly greater problem behavior ratings than did the average-achieving boys on two of the four subscales. The low-achieving and learning-disabled groups did not differ significantly on any of the problem behavior sub-scales, an indication that both groups are at heightened risk for developing social-behavioral problems. Examination of problem score frequency distributions by group also revealed a great deal of behavioral heterogeneity within each group, which indicates that membership in certain educational groups may be a behavioral risk factor, but behavioral needs should be looked at based on individual need.

Adolescent Perceptions of Help-Seeking Resources for Substance Abuse

Adolescent perceptions of help-seeking social resources (e.g., parents, friends, school counselor, clergyman) they would utilize if they were having substance abuse difficulties were investigated for samples of early and middle adolescents. 8 different perceived help-seeking categories were identified, and intergroup comparisons were made with regard to gender and ethnic/racial group and with regard to alcohol consumption, substance-related problems, and school misconduct. 2 perceived help-seeking categories had the highest levels of problem behaviors. The first category consisted of adolescents who identified friends as the only social resource they would utilize if they were having substance abuse problems. The second category, referred to as social isolates, indicated that they would not utilize any social resource if they were having substance abuse problems. There were approximately twice as many male social isolates as female social isolates, and blacks and Hispanics were highly overrepresented in the social isolate category.