Behavioral Changes in Preschool- and School-Age Korean Children: A Network Analysis

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Network Analysis

Background:

• Understanding the longitudinal development of childhood behavioral problems is crucial for effective long-term support.
• Identifying key symptoms and their evolving relationships is essential for early intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To track changes in the relationships between behavioral problem symptoms in preschool and school-aged children.
• To identify critical symptoms within the behavioral problem network over time.
• To inform support strategies for children's adaptation into school age.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Gaussian graphical network analysis to examine symptom interactions.
• Analyzed data from the Panel Study on Korean Children (PSKC) using the Korean Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL) across different age groups (1.5-5 and 6-18).
• Compared network centrality in nonclinical and (sub)clinical groups (T-score ≥ 60) among 1323 children.

Main Results:

• Depression/anxiety emerged as a persistent core symptom in the behavioral problem network for 5- and 7-year-old children.
• Posttraumatic stress problems became a newly identified core symptom in 7-year-olds, as captured by the K-CBCL/6-18.
• Significant differences in node centrality were observed between clinical and nonclinical groups.

Conclusions:

• Anxiety/depression are persistent core symptoms requiring ongoing attention from preschool through school age.
• The emergence of posttraumatic stress problems in 7-year-olds necessitates its consideration in early support.
• Integrated assessment and intervention addressing both anxiety/depression and posttraumatic stress are vital for successful school-age adaptation.