Self-control as a correlate of an Internalizing-Externalizing symptom dimension

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Self-control is a critical factor in psychological development.
• The Internalizing-Externalizing symptom dimension categorizes childhood behavior problems.
• Understanding the relationship between self-control and these dimensions is vital for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate self-control as a correlate of the Internalizing-Externalizing symptom dimension in preadolescent boys.
• To compare self-control levels across normal, Internalizing, and Externalizing groups.
• To explore the moderating role of social class on self-control and symptom dimensions.

Main Methods:

• Participants included 11-13-year-old boys: 26 Internalizers, 40 Externalizers, and 26 controls.
• Groups were matched for social-class status.
• Measures assessed delay of gratification, reflection-impulsivity, and foresight/planning abilities.

Main Results:

• Normal boys demonstrated the highest self-control, followed by Internalizers, with Externalizers exhibiting the lowest levels.
• No consistent main effect of social class was found across all groups.
• Social class status moderated the differences in self-control within the Internalizing and Externalizing groups.

Conclusions:

• Self-control is inversely related to the severity of externalizing behaviors and positively related to normative adjustment.
• Self-control deficits are most pronounced in externalizing youth.
• Social class may influence the manifestation and expression of self-control within specific behavioral profiles.