Predictors and consequences of aggressive-withdrawn problem profiles in early grade school.
Identified first-grade children who exhibited 4 different behavior problem profiles from an initial sample of 754: aggressive-withdrawn (n = 63.8%) aggressive only (n = 165, 22%), withdrawn only (n = 94, 12%), and nonproblem (n = 432, 57%). Group comparisons revealed that children who became aggressive-withdrawn in first grade exhibited deficits in attention and social skills in kindergarten. Furthermore, these kindergarten deficits contributed to the emergence of their aggressive-withdrawn behavior problems in first grade, after accounting for kindergarten levels of aggressive and withdrawn behaviors. In later grades, aggressive-withdrawn first-grade children were more likely than children in any other group to demonstrate poor peer relations and poor academic performance. In addition, kindergarten skill deficits added to first-grade aggressive and withdrawn behavior problems to predict third-grade social and academic adjustment difficulties. The results document the key role of early inattention and social skill deficits in the prediction of aggressive-withdrawn problem profiles, validate the significance of this problem profile at school entry, and identify potential developmental mechanisms that have implications for preventive interventions.
Farmer
Alvin D
AD
Pennsylvania State University, 103 Henderson Building East, University Park, PA 16802-6500, USA.
Bierman
Karen L
KL
D000124:Achievement; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D001288:Attention; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012918:Social Alienation / Q000523:psychology*; D012951:Socialization