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Early Childhood Externalising Behaviour Problems: Child, Parenting, and Family-related Predictors Over Time

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Abstract

This study examined the dynamic relationships between child, parenting, and family-related predictor variables and early childhood externalising behaviour problems. A community sample of 395 Australian children was followed longitudinally, and assessed at 4 and 6 years with the Child Behavior Checklist, Teacher Report Form, and standard measures of parenting, temperament, and familial adversity. Variables based on the average scores across the two assessments and the change in scores between assessments were utilised as predictors of parent-reported and teacher-reported externalising behaviour problems at age 6. It was hypothesised that both higher average scores and more detrimental changes in scores, would independently predict externalising problems at age 6. Multivariable analyses found that the presence of parent-reported child externalising problems in six-year-olds were predicted by: (i) the presence of parent-reported child externalising problems at age 4, (ii) higher average “teacher-reported child externalising behaviour,” “inflexible temperament,” “non-persistent temperament,” and “over-reactive parenting,” and (iii) an increased “inflexible temperament” score between age 4 and age 6. The presence of teacher-reported child externalising problems at age 6 was predicted by higher average “parent-reported child externalising behaviour,” and “over-reactive parenting.” The results provide further evidence of the adverse impact of continuing high levels of temperament difficulties and over-reactive parenting on externalising behaviour in early childhood. However, contrary to expectations, the contribution of including the dynamic change scores was limited.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Discipline of Paediatrics, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia

    Lauren R. Miller-Lewis, Peter A. Baghurst & Michael G. Sawyer

  2. Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service, Research and Evaluation Unit, Women’s and Children’s Hospital, 72 King William Rd, North Adelaide, South Australia, 5006, Australia

    Lauren R. Miller-Lewis, Michael G. Sawyer, Jennifer J. Clark & Josephine A. Carbone

  3. Department of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia

    Peter A. Baghurst

  4. Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service, Public Health Research Unit, Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Adelaide, Australia

    Peter A. Baghurst

  5. Department of Psychology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

    Margot R. Prior

  6. Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia

    Fiona M. Arney

  7. Department of Psychology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia

    Josephine A. Carbone

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  1. Lauren R. Miller-Lewis
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  2. Peter A. Baghurst
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  3. Michael G. Sawyer
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Correspondence to Lauren R. Miller-Lewis.

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Miller-Lewis, L.R., Baghurst, P.A., Sawyer, M.G. et al. Early Childhood Externalising Behaviour Problems: Child, Parenting, and Family-related Predictors Over Time. J Abnorm Child Psychol 34, 886–901 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-006-9071-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-006-9071-6

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