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Predicting Internalizing and Externalizing Problems at Five Years by Child and Parental Factors in Infancy and Toddlerhood

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Abstract

This study examined child and parental factors in infancy and toddlerhood predicting subclinical or clinical levels of internalizing and externalizing problems at 5 years of age. Ninety-six children and their families participated. They were assessed when the children were 4–10 weeks old (T1), 2 years (T2) and 5 years old (T3). Child risks (difficult temperament, health problems, early emotional and behavioral problems), parental risks (psychopathology, parenting stress and perception of the child) and family risks (socio-economic status, quality of marital relationship and family violence) were examined. At 5 years, internalizing problems were predicted by family violence during the child’s infancy and parenting stress at age 2. Externalizing problems were predicted by psychiatric problems of the mother before pregnancy and child’s externalizing problems at 2 years of age. When interventions aiming at preventing emotional and behavioral problems in children are considered, these issues should be recognized early and effective intervention initiated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Tampere, School of Medicine, Tampere, Finland

    Mirjami Mäntymaa, Kaija Puura, Ilona Luoma, Reija Latva & Tuula Tamminen

  2. Department of Child Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, P.O. Box 2000, 33521, Tampere, Finland

    Mirjami Mäntymaa, Kaija Puura, Ilona Luoma, Reija Latva, Raili K. Salmelin & Tuula Tamminen

  3. University of Tampere, School of Health Sciences, Tampere, Finland

    Raili K. Salmelin

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  1. Mirjami Mäntymaa
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  2. Kaija Puura
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Correspondence to Mirjami Mäntymaa.

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Mäntymaa, M., Puura, K., Luoma, I. et al. Predicting Internalizing and Externalizing Problems at Five Years by Child and Parental Factors in Infancy and Toddlerhood. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 43, 153–170 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-011-0255-0

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