title: The Stability of Problem Behavior Across the Preschool Years: An Empirical Approach in the General Population.
abstract: This study examined the stability of internalizing and externalizing problems from age 1.5 to 6 years, while taking into account developmental changes in the presentation of problems. The study comprised a population-based cohort of 7,206 children (50.4 % boys). At ages 1.5, 3, and 6 years, mothers reported on problem behavior using the Child Behavior Checklist/1.5-5 (CBCL/1.5-5). At each age we performed latent profile analysis on the CBCL/1.5-5 scales. Latent transition analysis (LTA) was applied to study the stability of problem behavior. Profiles of problem behavior varied across ages. At each age, 82-87 % of the children did not have problems whereas approximately 2 % showed a profile of co-occurring internalizing and externalizing problems. This profile was more severe (with higher scores) at 6 years than at earlier ages. A predominantly internalizing profile only emerged at 6 years, while a profile with externalizing problems and emotional reactivity was present at each age. LTA showed that, based on profiles at 1.5 and 3 years, it was difficult to predict the type of profile at 6 years. Children with a profile of co-occurring internalizing and externalizing problems early in life were most likely to show problem behavior at 6 years. This study shows that the presentation of problem behavior changes across the preschool period and that heterotypic continuity of problems is very common among preschoolers. Children with co-occurring internalizing and externalizing problems were most likely to show persisting problems. The use of evidence-based treatment for these young children may prevent psychiatric problems across the life course.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus Medical Center, P.O. Box 2060, 3000 CB, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maartje
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Basten
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus Medical Center, P.O. Box 2060, 3000 CB, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tiemeier
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus Medical Center, P.O. Box 2060, 3000 CB, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Vermont Center for Children, Youth, and Families, The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA.
authors.forename: Robert R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Althoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Methods and Statistics, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.|Optentia Research Program, Faculty of Humanities, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa.
authors.forename: Rens
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van de Schoot
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Vincent W V
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Jaddoe
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus Medical Center, P.O. Box 2060, 3000 CB, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Vermont Center for Children, Youth, and Families, The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA.
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hudziak
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus Medical Center, P.O. Box 2060, 3000 CB, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frank C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Verhulst
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus Medical Center, P.O. Box 2060, 3000 CB, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. jan.vanderende@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van der Ende
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D000066553:Problem Behavior / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Co-occurrence; Dysregulation; Latent transition analysis; Longitudinal study; Preschool internalizing and externalizing problems; Stability
references.citation: Dev Psychol. 2010 Sep;46(5):1159-75
references.pmid: 20822230
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2006 Jul;45(7):849-58
references.pmid: 16832322
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2010 Dec;49(12):1215-24
references.pmid: 21093771
references.citation: J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2011 May;39(4):501-12
references.pmid: 21153696
references.citation: Dev Psychol. 2011 Jul;47(4):1181-95
references.pmid: 21639626
references.citation: J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2007 Oct;48(10):1005-13
references.pmid: 17915001
references.citation: Psychol Med. 2007 Nov;37(11):1527-37
references.pmid: 17335642
references.citation: Dev Psychopathol. 2007 Spring;19(2):345-66
references.pmid: 17459174
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2007 Sep;46(9):1148-61
references.pmid: 17712238
references.citation: Dev Psychol. 2008 Mar;44(2):446-56
references.pmid: 18331135
references.citation: J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2008 Nov;36(8):1211-25
references.pmid: 18473160
references.citation: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009 Aug;66(8):897-905
references.pmid: 19652129
references.citation: J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2010 Jan;38(1):19-31
references.pmid: 19662525
references.citation: Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2010;6:495-525
references.pmid: 20192797
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2012 Nov;51(11):1119-1135.e7
references.pmid: 23101739
references.citation: Eur J Epidemiol. 2012 Sep;27(9):739-56
references.pmid: 23086283
references.citation: Am J Psychiatry. 2012 Nov;169(11):1157-64
references.pmid: 23128922
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2013 Aug;52(8):841-850.e2
references.pmid: 23880494
references.citation: Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2013 Feb;22 Suppl 1:S11-6
references.pmid: 23229139
references.citation: J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2000 Feb;28(1):15-31
references.pmid: 10772347
references.citation: Dev Psychopathol. 2000 Summer;12(3):467-88
references.pmid: 11014748
references.citation: J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2001 Jul;42(5):679-89
references.pmid: 11464972
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2001 Sep;40(9):1029-36
references.pmid: 11556626
references.citation: Dev Psychopathol. 2002 Winter;14(1):1-23
references.pmid: 11893087
references.citation: Am Psychol. 2002 Feb;57(2):111-27
references.pmid: 11899554
references.citation: J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2003 Oct;31(5):495-514
references.pmid: 14561058
references.citation: J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2003 Nov;44(8):1092-115
references.pmid: 14626453
references.citation: J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2004 Jan;45(1):109-34
references.pmid: 14959805
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2004 Jul;114(1):e43-50
references.pmid: 15231972
references.citation: Dev Psychopathol. 2004 Spring;16(2):313-33
references.pmid: 15487598
references.citation: Child Dev. 1984 Feb;55(1):137-50
references.pmid: 6705616
references.citation: J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1995 Jan;36(1):113-49
references.pmid: 7714027
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1998 Dec;37(12):1246-54
references.pmid: 9847496
references.citation: J Abnorm Child Psychol. 1998 Dec;26(6):441-52
references.pmid: 9915651
references.citation: J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1999 Jan;40(1):57-87
references.pmid: 10102726
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1999 Jul;38(7):838-45
references.pmid: 10405501
references.citation: J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2006 Mar-Apr;47(3-4):313-37
references.pmid: 16492262
references.citation: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2010 Nov;49(11):1105-16
references.pmid: 20970698