title: Personality and psychopathology in Flemish referred children: five perspectives of continuity.
abstract: The present study investigates five types of continuity of personality and internalizing and externalizing problems (i.e., structural, differential, mean-level, individual-level and ipsative continuity) in a sample of referred children and adolescents (N = 114) with a broad variety of psychological problems. Mothers were administered a child personality and psychopathology measure, i.e., the Hierarchical Personality Inventory for Children [Handleiding hiërarchische persoonlijkheidsvragenlijst voor kinderen (manual hierarchical personality inventory for children). Ghent University, Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Ghent, 2005] and the Child Behavior Checklist [Handleiding voor de cbcl/4-18: (Manual of the CBCL/4-18), Afdeling Kinder- en Jeugdpsychiatrie. Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 1996] at two measurement occasions, with a 26-months interval. Personality was substantially stable, paralleling findings for non-referred peers. Internalizing and Externalizing Problem Behavior were almost as stable as personality traits, suggesting that childhood psychopathology is more persistent than generally assumed. Strengths and limitations of the present study and implications for further research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium. Marleen.DeBolle@ugent.be
authors.forename: Marleen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Bolle
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Clercq
authors.forename: Karla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Leeuwen
authors.forename: Mieke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Decuyper
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rosseel
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Fruyt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001530:Belgium; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D010551:Personality; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology*