Pathways of behavioural and emotional symptoms in kindergarten children: what is the role of pro-social behaviour?
The study investigated the predictive value of pro-social behaviour for developmental pathways of behavioural and emotional problems at kindergarten age. One hundred and sixty children participated in the study at the ages of 5 and 6. Teachers and parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; children completed the Berkeley Puppet Interview at both assessment points. Single-informant data were aggregated to enhance the reliability and validity of data. Gender and parental educational status were controlled. Symptoms (conduct problems, hyperactivity and emotional symptoms) and pro-social behaviour were moderately stable over time. Compared to girls, boys showed higher levels and increases of conduct problems and hyperactivity and lower levels of pro-social behaviour. Lower parental educational level was associated with higher levels and increases in hyperactivity. Although pro-social behaviour was cross-sectionally associated with behavioural and emotional symptoms, pro-social behaviour did not predict changes in conduct problems or hyperactivity over time. However, children with above average emotional symptoms and above average pro-social behaviour at Age_5 showed the highest level of emotional symptoms at Age_6. The results indicate that low levels of pro-social behaviour are associated with children's externalising behaviour problems, but that for children with high levels of emotional symptoms, higher levels of pro-social behaviour should also be considered as a risk factor. In sum, our results suggest mainly homotypic pathways of internalising and externalising symptoms across kindergarten age, but indicate that the assessment of pro-social behaviour yields additional information regarding the developmental pathways of emotional symptoms.
Perren
Sonja
S
Jacobs Centre for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. perren@jacobscenter.unizh.ch
Stadelmann
Stephanie
S
von Wyl
Agnes
A
von Klitzing
Kai
K
D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D000367:Age Factors; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002665:Child Psychiatry; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching