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Predicting externalizing and internalizing behavior in kindergarten: examining the buffering role of early social

Amy E Heberle1, Sarah C Krill, Margaret J Briggs-Gowan

  • 1a Department of Psychology , University of Massachusetts , Boston.

Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology : the Official Journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53
|April 5, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Maternal psychological distress, mediated by parenting, predicts childhood behavior problems. Social support acts as a buffer, mitigating negative effects on children’s development.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Family Studies

Background:

  • Understanding factors influencing childhood behavior problems is crucial for early intervention.
  • Early childhood experiences significantly shape long-term behavioral outcomes.
  • An ecological model provides a framework for examining multiple risk and protective factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test an ecological model predicting kindergarten behavior problems from early childhood risk and protective factors.
  • To examine the mediating role of parenting behavior and the buffering role of social support.
  • To identify key factors for early intervention and prevention strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal birth cohort study of 1,161 diverse mother-child pairs.
  • Parental reports of psychological distress, parenting behavior, and social support collected at ages 2 and 3.
  • Children's externalizing and internalizing behaviors assessed in kindergarten (average age 6).

Main Results:

  • Early maternal psychological distress, mediated by suboptimal parenting, predicted children's externalizing and internalizing behaviors.
  • Early social support buffered the negative impact of psychological distress on parenting behavior.
  • Social support also buffered the link between suboptimal parenting and children's withdrawn/depressive behaviors.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal psychological distress and parenting are significant predictors of childhood behavior problems.
  • Social support plays a critical protective role in mitigating these negative effects.
  • Interventions aimed at increasing social support may be effective in preventing child behavior problems.

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