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Reporter Discrepancies in the Associations Between Mental Health Concerns and School Discipline
Erin L Thompson1, Ashley R Adams1,2, Sarah M Lehman1,2
1Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, Miami, Florida.
JAACAP Open
|June 1, 2026
Summary
School discipline prediction varies by who reports it. Caregiver reports may capture more severe events, while youth reports capture a broader range. Prior discipline history is the strongest predictor across all reporters.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent development
- Educational psychology
- Behavioral science
Background:
- The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study tracks over 11,000 adolescents to investigate factors influencing school discipline.
- School records are ideal for tracking disciplinary events but are unavailable in the ABCD Study.
- Youth and caregiver self-reports are used instead, potentially differing in scope and severity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine if prospective associations between adolescent mental health and future school discipline differ based on who provides the disciplinary report (youth or caregiver).
- To assess the predictive power of prior-year adolescent mental health concerns and discipline history on future school discipline events.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 9,772 participants (aged 8-11 at baseline) in the ABCD Study.
- Linear mixed-effects models with multiple imputation were used to analyze multi-informant mental health concerns (externalizing, inattention/impulsivity, internalizing).
- Predictions of discipline over two years were compared across four reporting groups: youth-reported, caregiver-reported, agreement, and either reporter.
Main Results:
- Mental health concerns predicted future discipline across all reporting groups.
- Youth-reported and either-reporter discipline measures showed higher prevalence but weaker associations with prior mental health and discipline history compared to caregiver-reported and agreement measures.
- Prior discipline history emerged as the most consistent predictor of future discipline, regardless of the reporter.
Conclusions:
- The choice of reporter significantly influences observed associations between mental health, prior discipline, and future disciplinary events.
- Youth reports may encompass a wider array of infractions, while caregiver reports might better reflect more severe incidents.
- Acknowledging the limitations of single-item discipline indicators is crucial for interpreting findings and planning future research within the ABCD Study.
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