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Psychopathology and Academic Performance, Social Well-Being, and Social Preference at School: The TRAILS Study

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Abstract

Psychopathology during adolescence has been associated with poor academic performance, low social well-being, and low social preference by peers at school. However, previous research has not accounted for comorbid psychopathology, informant-specific associations between psychopathology and functioning, and gender and age differences. This study addresses these limitations by examining adolescents’ psychopathology and functioning at school, reported by child, parent, teacher, and peers during primary and secondary school in a large Dutch longitudinal cohort study (N = 2230). Teacher reports of psychopathology, especially regarding attention problems and withdrawn/depressed problems, followed by parent reports regarding hyperactivity, were most strongly associated with academic performance. The same held for social preference which was associated with teacher and parent ratings of withdrawn/depressed problems and hyperactivity. In contrast, social well-being was best predicted by child reports (at primary school) of affective problems. In girls, the association between ADHD problems and poor academic performance was stronger than in boys and conduct problems were more often associated with poor school functioning in general. These findings can help identify adolescents at risk for poor functioning and design interventions that effectively reduce or prevent poor school functioning.

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Acknowledgments

This research is part of the TRacking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS). Participating centers of TRAILS include various departments of the University Medical Center and University of Groningen, the Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, the University of Utrecht, the Radboud Medical Center Nijmegen, and the Parnassia Bavo group, all in the Netherlands. TRAILS has been financially supported by various grants from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), ZonMW, GB-MaGW, the Dutch Ministry of Justice, the European Science Foundation, BBMRI-NL, the participating universities, and Accare Center for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. We are grateful to all adolescents, their parents, and teachers who participated in this research, and to everyone who worked on this project and made it possible.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Developmental Psychology, Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, 5037 AB, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    J. J. Sijtsema

  2. Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    C. E. Verboom & J. Ormel

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    B. W. J. H. Penninx

  4. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    F. C. Verhulst

Authors
  1. J. J. Sijtsema
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  2. C. E. Verboom
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  3. B. W. J. H. Penninx
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  4. F. C. Verhulst
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  5. J. Ormel
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. J. Sijtsema.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Original Items of the Teachers Checklist of Psychopathology

Items are translated from Dutch into English

  1. 1.

    Withdrawn behavior

Rather be alone; withdrawn; doesn’t get along; secretive; won’t talk; lacks energy; blank glance; sulks.

  1. 2.

    Anxious/depressed

Feels lonely; cries a lot; must be perfect; fears mistakes; anxious to please; feels unloved; feels worthless; nervous; fears; feels too guilty; quickly embarrassed; fearful; hurt when criticized; unhappy; sad; worries.

  1. 3.

    Thought problems

Can’t get mind off thoughts; scared of particular animals, situations or places; repeats acts; hears things; sees things; strange behavior; strange ideas; picks skin.

  1. 4.

    Attention problems

Fails to finish; can’t concentrate; confused; daydreams; difficulty learning; difficulty with directions; inattentive; easily distracted; underachieves; fails to carry out tasks.

  1. 5.

    Activity/impulsivity

Odd noises; can’t sit still; over-active; fidgets; irresponsive; impulsive; inconsiderate; messy work.

  1. 6.

    Aggressive behavior

Argues a lot; defiant; brags; mean; provocative; demands attention; destroys own or others’ things; disobedient; disturbs other students; causes turbulence at school; jealous; gets in fights; attacks people; screams a lot; explosive or suspicious; easily frustrated; stubborn, sullen; mood changes; teases a lot; temper; threatens others.

  1. 7.

    Rule-breaking behavior

Lacks guilt; bad friends; lies, cheats; prefers older kids; steals; swears; too late at school; truant; uses tobacco.

Appendix 2: Original Items of the Teacher Questionnaire: Academic Performance Scale

Items are translated from Dutch into English

  1. 1.

    Student has a good work pace

  2. 2.

    Student shows effort

  3. 3.

    Student does not perform in accordance with own level (reversed item)

  4. 4.

    How do you rate the overall performance of the student?*

  5. 5.

    Current results regarding Dutch language

  6. 6.

    Current results regarding foreign languages?*

  7. 7.

    Current results regarding maths

  8. 8.

    Current results regarding geography and history?*

  9. 9.

    Current results regarding physics, chemistry, and biology?*

* Only measured at secondary school (T2)

Appendix 3: Original Items from the Social Production Function Questionnaire: Social Well-Being Scale

  1. 1.

    Most classmates like doing something together with me.

  2. 2.

    Most classmates help me if needed.

  3. 3.

    Most classmates consider my feelings.

  4. 4.

    Most classmates like being with me.

  5. 5.

    Most classmates think I behave well.

  6. 6.

    Most classmates like to get my help.

  7. 7.

    Most classmates I can truly trust.

  8. 8.

    Most classmates appreciate me like I am.

  9. 9.

    Most classmates look up to me.*

  10. 10.

    Most classmates would like to be somewhat like me.*

  11. 11.

    Most classmates think I am one of the nicest students in class.*

* Only measured at secondary school (T2)

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Sijtsema, J.J., Verboom, C.E., Penninx, B.W.J.H. et al. Psychopathology and Academic Performance, Social Well-Being, and Social Preference at School: The TRAILS Study. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 45, 273–284 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-013-0399-1

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