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Testing a Higher Order Model of Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior: The Role of Aggression Subtypes
Kristin J Perry1, Jamie M Ostrov2
1Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, 478 Park Hall, Buffalo, NY, 14260-4110, USA. kperry5@buffalo.edu.
Child Psychiatry and Human Development
|April 13, 2017
Summary
This study reveals two distinct externalizing behavior factors in young children: one combining relational aggression and deception, the other physical aggression and hyperactivity. These findings refine our understanding of childhood behavioral models.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychiatry
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Childhood aggression presents in various forms and serves different functions.
- Understanding aggression's role within broader internalizing and externalizing behavior models is crucial for early identification and intervention.
- Existing models may not fully capture the nuanced interplay of aggression types and their behavioral correlates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how different forms and functions of aggression align within a hierarchical model of internalizing and externalizing behaviors in early childhood.
- To examine the relationships between specific aggression types (reactive/proactive, relational/physical) and other externalizing factors like deception and hyperactivity.
- To test and compare multiple confirmatory factor models to determine the best fit for describing these relationships.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 332 children in early childhood (mean age 47.11 months) was assessed.
- Lower-order internalizing factors included depressed affect, anxious-fearfulness, and asocial behavior.
- Lower-order externalizing factors included deception and hyperactivity; aggression was categorized into reactive relational, reactive physical, proactive relational, and proactive physical forms.
Main Results:
- Seven confirmatory factor models were evaluated to determine the best fit for the data.
- A two-factor model of externalizing behavior demonstrated the strongest support.
- This model identified one factor comprising relational aggression (reactive and proactive) and deception, and a second factor comprising physical aggression (reactive and proactive) and hyperactivity.
Conclusions:
- Early childhood externalizing behavior can be effectively conceptualized into two primary dimensions: one related to social manipulation and relational aggression, the other to physical aggression and hyperactivity.
- These findings provide a refined structural model for understanding childhood externalizing behaviors, differentiating pathways related to social-emotional functioning and disruptive conduct.
- The results underscore the importance of considering both the form and function of aggression when assessing and addressing behavioral challenges in young children.