Proactive and reactive aggression during childhood: Gender differences, intercorrelations, and relations to internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems

Abstract Behavioral problems have been associated with multiple variables; however, studies simultaneously investigating parenting practices, marital relationships in bi-parental families, maternal depression, and child behavior remain a gap in the literature. The objective was to verify associations between positive and negative parenting practices, marital relationships, social skills, and behavioral problems among children from bi-parental families with and those without maternal depression; to identify the predictive effect of positive and negative parenting practices, marital relationships, children’s social skills, and maternal depression, for internalizing, externalizing behavior problems and internalizing and externalizing comorbidities. A case-control study with a cross-sectional design was adopted to ensure the groups were homogeneous in regard to the children’s, mothers’, and families’ sociodemographic characteristics. A total of 35 mothers currently with depression and 35 without depression indicators participated in the study, while the children were 25 preschoolers and 23 school-aged children. The mothers responded to instruments addressing depression, child behavior, parenting practices, and marital relationships. The results reveal maternal depression associated with marital relationships, positive parenting, and context variables. Maternal depression and marital relationship were found to influence externalizing problems; maternal depression, child-rearing practices, marital relationships, and the children’s behavioral repertoires influence internalizing and externalizing comorbidities; and none of the independent variables influenced the occurrence of internalizing problems.

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The role of internalizing and externalizing liability factors in accounting for gender differences in the prevalence of common psychopathological syndromes

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291707001572 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 38 (1) ◽

pp. 51-61 ◽

Cited By ~ 78

Author(s):

Mark D. Kramer ◽

Robert F. Krueger ◽

Brian M. Hicks

Keyword(s):

Gender Differences ◽

Common Mental Disorders ◽

Future Research ◽

Latent Factor ◽

Gender Invariance ◽

Co Morbidity ◽

Best Fitting ◽

Invariance Model ◽

Internalizing And Externalizing

BackgroundWe hypothesized that gender differences in average levels on the internalizing and externalizing factors that account for co-morbidity among common psychopathological syndromes in both men and women account for gender differences in the prevalence of specific syndromes.MethodThe latent structure of 11 syndromes was examined in a middle-aged (mean age=52.66 years, s.d.=5.82) sample of 2992 (37% men) members of the community-based Minnesota Twin Registry (MTR) assessed using 10 scales of the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire (PDSQ) and an adult antisocial behavior scale. Confirmatory factorial invariance models were applied to a best-fitting, internalizing–externalizing model.ResultsA ‘strong gender invariance model’ fit best, indicating that gender differences in the means of individual syndromes were well accounted for by gender differences in mean levels of internalizing and externalizing. Women exhibited higher mean levels of internalizing (d=0.23) and lower mean levels of externalizing (d=−0.52) than men.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that risk factors for common mental disorders exhibiting gender differences may influence prevalence at the latent factor level. Future research may benefit from focusing on both the latent factor and individual syndrome levels in explaining gender differences in psychopathology.

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Maternal and paternal trajectories of depressive symptoms predict family risk and children's emotional and behavioral problems after the birth of a sibling

Development and Psychopathology ◽

10.1017/s0954579418000743 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 31 (04) ◽

pp. 1307-1324 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Brenda L. Volling ◽

Tianyi Yu ◽

Richard Gonzalez ◽

Elizabeth Tengelitsch ◽

Matthew M. Stevenson

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Behavioral Problems ◽

Externalizing Behavior ◽

Latent Class ◽

Emotional And Behavioral Problems ◽

Family Risk Factors ◽

Paternal Depression ◽

Family Risk ◽

Infant Sibling ◽

Internalizing And Externalizing

AbstractThe current study examined trajectories of maternal and paternal depression in the year following the birth of an infant sibling, and relations with family risk factors and firstborn children's internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Latent class growth analysis was conducted on 231 families in a longitudinal investigation (prebirth and 1, 4, 8, and 12 months postbirth) and revealed four classes of families: both mother and father low in depressive symptoms (40.7%); mother high–father low (25.1%); father high–mother low (24.7%), and both mother and father high (9.5%). Families with both mothers and fathers high on depressive symptoms were higher on marital negativity, parenting stress, and children's internalizing and externalizing problems, and lower on marital positivity and parental efficacy than other classes. Children, parents, and marital relationships were more problematic in families with fathers higher on depressive symptoms than in families in which mothers were higher, indicating the significant role of paternal support for firstborn children undergoing the transition to siblinghood. Maternal and paternal depression covaried with an accumulation of family risks over time, no doubt increasing the likelihood of children's problematic adjustment after the birth of their infant sibling.

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Gender differences in externalizing and internalizing problems in Singaporean children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health ◽

10.1186/s13034-021-00356-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Tsz Wing Ivy Lau ◽

Choon Guan Lim ◽

Sanchalika Acharryya ◽

Nikki Lim-Ashworth ◽

Yi Ren Tan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gender Differences ◽

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Attention Deficit ◽

Social Factors ◽

Externalizing Problems ◽

Physical Punishment ◽

Internalizing And Externalizing Problems ◽

Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Internalizing And Externalizing

Abstract Background Studies on gender differences in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comorbidities in the Asian populations have been limited and previous studies have shown inconclusive findings. Singapore is a city-state country in Southeast Asia with a population of 5.7 million. This study examined gender differences in internalizing and externalizing problems in Singaporean children and adolescents with ADHD. The plausible social factors underlying the gender differences were discussed. Methods A total of 773 participants (aged 6 to 18, 88% males) newly diagnosed with ADHD were recruited from the largest public child and adolescent psychiatric center in Singapore. Their internalizing and externalizing problems were assessed using the Child Behavioral Checklist and Teacher’s Report Form by parents and teachers respectively. Demographics and relevant social factors were collected using parent questionnaires. Results Females with ADHD were reported to have less delinquent and aggressive behavior but more depressive symptoms than their male counterparts, similar to findings in the Western literature. Gender remained a significant predictor of externalizing problem after controlling for other factors. Lower socioeconomic status and parental use of physical punishment were significant predictors of both internalizing and externalizing problems. Conclusions Gender differences in ADHD comorbidities do exist in the Asian clinical population. The lack of externalizing symptoms in females with ADHD has made timely referral and diagnosis challenging. More research is needed in understanding the gender differences in ADHD and the biopsychosocial mechanism underlying the differences in order to improve the detection of ADHD in females.

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As Time Goes by: Understanding Child and Family Factors Shaping Behavioral Outcomes After Traumatic Brain Injury

Frontiers in Neurology ◽

10.3389/fneur.2021.687740 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Linda Ewing-Cobbs ◽

Janelle J. Montroy ◽

Amy E. Clark ◽

Richard Holubkov ◽

Charles S. Cox ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Behavior Problems ◽

Conduct Problems ◽

Behavioral Problems ◽

Externalizing Behavior ◽

Executive Dysfunction ◽

Emotional Symptoms ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Severe Tbi ◽

Internalizing And Externalizing

Objective: To model pre-injury child and family factors associated with the trajectory of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems across the first 3 years in children with pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) relative to children with orthopedic injuries (OI). Parent-reported emotional symptoms and conduct problems were expected to have unique and shared predictors. We hypothesized that TBI, female sex, greater pre-injury executive dysfunction, adjustment problems, lower income, and family dysfunction would be associated with less favorable outcomes.Methods: In a prospective longitudinal cohort study, we examined the level of behavior problems at 12 months after injury and rate of change from pre-injury to 12 months and from 12 to 36 months in children ages 4–15 years with mild to severe TBI relative to children with OI. A structural equation model framework incorporated injury characteristics, child demographic variables, as well as pre-injury child reserve and family attributes. Internalizing and externalizing behavior problems were indexed using the parent-rated Emotional Symptoms and Conduct Problems scales from the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire.Results: The analysis cohort of 534 children [64% boys, M (SD) 8.8 (4.3) years of age] included 395 with mild to severe TBI and 139 with OI. Behavior ratings were higher after TBI than OI but did not differ by TBI severity. TBI, higher pre-injury executive dysfunction, and lower income predicted the level and trajectory of both Emotional Symptoms and Conduct Problems at 12 months. Female sex and poorer family functioning were vulnerability factors associated with greater increase and change in Emotional Symptoms by 12 months after injury; unique predictors of Conduct Problems included younger age and prior emotional/behavioral problems. Across the long-term follow-up from 12 to 36 months, Emotional Symptoms increased significantly and Conduct Problems stabilized. TBI was not a significant predictor of change during the chronic stage of recovery.Conclusions: After TBI, Emotional Symptoms and Conduct Problem scores were elevated, had different trajectories of change, increased or stayed elevated from 12 to 36 months after TBI, and did not return to pre-injury levels across the 3 year follow-up. These findings highlight the importance of addressing behavioral problems after TBI across an extended time frame.

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