Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026
07:56
Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
Language and internalizing and externalizing behavioral adjustment: developmental pathways from childhood to
Marc H Bornstein1, Chun-Shin Hahn, Joan T D Suwalsky
1Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. Marc_H_Bornstein@nih.gov
Development and Psychopathology
|July 25, 2013
Summary
Children with weaker language skills in early childhood tend to experience more internalizing behavior problems later. This link between language development and behavioral adjustment is significant for both boys and girls.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
Background:
- Understanding the interplay between language development and behavioral adjustment is crucial for early identification and intervention.
- Longitudinal research is essential to establish developmental trajectories and causal links.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the developmental associations between language skills and behavioral adjustment (internalizing and externalizing problems) from childhood to early adolescence.
- To determine the directionality of these associations over time.
Main Methods:
- Two independent prospective longitudinal studies with multiwave data collection.
- Involved 224 children, mothers, and teachers, spanning ages 4 to 14 years.
- Employed nested path analysis models to examine developmental paths.
Main Results:
- Poorer early childhood language skills predicted increased internalizing behavior problems in later childhood and early adolescence.
- These associations remained significant after controlling for nonverbal intelligence, maternal factors, socioeconomic status, and social desirability.
- The findings applied consistently to both genders.
Conclusions:
- Language development is a significant predictor of later behavioral adjustment, specifically internalizing problems.
- Early language interventions may have positive long-term effects on children's behavioral health.
- The relationship between language and behavior is robust across various demographic and cognitive factors.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Cognitive Development During Adolescence
During adolescence, individuals experience significant cognitive development that enhances their understanding of others' emotions and thoughts, known as cognitive empathy. This period is marked by an increased ability to adapt to others' perspectives and a more nuanced understanding of others' mental states, a skill that is foundational for social problem-solving and conflict avoidance. The development of cognitive empathy relies heavily on the theory of mind — the recognition that people have...
01:28Relationship with Parents: Attachment
Parent-child interactions lay the foundation for how we understand relationships throughout life. These interactions are not uniform across families; instead, they are shaped by a range of environmental, emotional, and behavioral factors unique to each caregiver-child dynamic. Social psychologists study these early relationships to understand how patterns formed in infancy influence social functioning and interpersonal behavior in adulthood.Attachment Theory and Early Relational ModelsJohn...
01:28Conduct Disorder
Conduct disorder is a complex mental health diagnosis characterized by a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior that violates societal norms, the rights of others, or age-appropriate rules. The diagnostic criteria for conduct disorder require the presence of at least three problematic behaviors within the past 12 months, with at least one occurring in the past six months. These behaviors are grouped into four categories: aggression toward people and animals; destruction of property;...
01:27Introduction to Developmental Psychology
Developmental psychology explores the changes and continuities in human abilities throughout life, encompassing physical, cognitive, linguistic, and social dimensions. Human development is not restricted to growth, but includes aspects of decline, particularly in physical abilities as individuals age. Developmental psychologists seek to understand how people change as they age and how their mental and social skills evolve.Developmental MilestonesA key concept in developmental psychology is...
03:00Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
01:30Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...