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Does Preschool Self-Regulation Predict Later Behavior Problems in General or Specific Problem Behaviors?

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Abstract

Findings from prior research have consistently indicated significant associations between self-regulation and externalizing behaviors. Significant associations have also been reported between children’s language skills and both externalizing behaviors and self-regulation. Few studies to date, however, have examined these relations longitudinally, simultaneously, or with respect to unique clusters of externalizing problems. The current study examined the influence of preschool self-regulation on general and specific externalizing behavior problems in early elementary school and whether these relations were independent of associations between language, self-regulation, and externalizing behaviors in a sample of 815 children (44% female). Additionally, given a general pattern of sex differences in the presentations of externalizing behavior problems, self-regulation, and language skills, sex differences for these associations were examined. Results indicated unique relations of preschool self-regulation and language with both general externalizing behavior problems and specific problems of inattention. In general, self-regulation was a stronger longitudinal correlate of externalizing behavior for boys than it was for girls, and language was a stronger longitudinal predictor of hyperactive/impulsive behavior for girls than it was for boys.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by grants from the Institute of Education Sciences (R324E06086 & R305B090021). Preparation of this work was supported by a grant from the Eunice Kennedy Schriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD052120). The views expressed herein are those of the authors and have not been reviewed or approved by the granting agencies.

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  1. J. Marc Goodrich

    Present address: Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4301, USA

    Christopher J. Lonigan, Jamie A. Spiegel, J. Marc Goodrich, Brittany M. Morris, Colleen M. Osborne & Matthew D. Lerner

  2. Florida Center for Reading Research, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA

    Christopher J. Lonigan & Beth M. Phillips

  3. Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA

    Beth M. Phillips

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Lonigan, C.J., Spiegel, J.A., Goodrich, J.M. et al. Does Preschool Self-Regulation Predict Later Behavior Problems in General or Specific Problem Behaviors?. J Abnorm Child Psychol 45, 1491–1502 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-016-0260-7

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