Early Developmental Precursors of Externalizing Behavior in Middle Childhood and Adolescence

Abstract

This study examined the infancy- and toddler-age precursors of children's later externalizing problem behavior. Risk constructs included suboptimal patterns of observed caregiver-child interaction and the caregiver's perception of child difficultness and resistance to control. In addition, a novel dimension of caregiver-child relationship quality, the caregiver's perception of her toddler's unresponsiveness to her, was examined as a possible precursor of children's externalizing behavior. Externalizing problem outcomes were assessed throughout the school-age period and again at age 17, using multiple informants. As toddlers, children at risk for later externalizing behavior were perceived as difficult and resistant to control, and relationships with their caregivers were relatively low in warmth and affective enjoyment. Finally, the caregiver's perception of her toddler as emotionally unresponsive to her was a consistent predictor of later externalizing behavior, suggesting that negative maternal cognitions associated with child conduct problems may begin in toddlerhood. These predictive patterns were similar for boys and girls, and with minor exceptions, generalized across different subdimensions of externalizing problem behavior. Our findings underscore the importance of the infancy and toddler periods to children's long-term behavioral adjustment, and indicate the desirability of further research into the nature of caregivers' early perceptions of child unresponsiveness.