Journal article
Language Ability Predicts the Development of Behavior Problems in Children
Journal of abnormal psychology (1965), Vol.122(2), pp.542-557
05/2013
DOI: 10.1037/a0031963
PMCID: PMC3760166
PMID: 23713507
Abstract
Prior studies have suggested, but not fully established, that language ability is important for regulating attention and behavior. Language ability may have implications for understanding attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorders, as well as subclinical problems. This article reports findings from two longitudinal studies to test (a) whether language ability has an independent effect on behavior problems, and (b) the direction of effect between language ability and behavior problems. In Study 1 (
N
= 585), language ability was measured annually from ages 7 to 13 years by language subtests of standardized academic achievement tests administered at the children’s schools. Inattentive-hyperactive (I-H) and externalizing (EXT) problems were reported annually by teachers and mothers. In Study 2 (
N
= 11,506), language ability (receptive vocabulary) and mother-rated I-H and EXT problems were measured biannually from ages 4 to 12 years. Analyses in both studies showed that language ability predicted within-individual variability in the development of I-H and EXT problems over and above the effects of sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and performance in other academic and intellectual domains (e.g., math, reading comprehension, reading recognition, and short-term memory [STM]). Even after controls for prior levels of behavior problems, language ability predicted later behavior problems more strongly than behavior problems predicted later language ability, suggesting that the direction of effect may be from language ability to behavior problems. The findings suggest that language ability may be a useful target for the prevention or even treatment of attention deficits and EXT problems in children.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Language Ability Predicts the Development of Behavior Problems in Children
- Creators
- Isaac T Petersen - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana UniversityJohn E Bates - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana UniversityBrian M D’Onofrio - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana UniversityClaire A Coyne - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana UniversityJennifer E Lansford - Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke UniversityKenneth A Dodge - Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke UniversityGregory S Pettit - Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn UniversityCarol A Van Hulle - Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of abnormal psychology (1965), Vol.122(2), pp.542-557
- DOI
- 10.1037/a0031963
- PMID
- 23713507
- PMCID
- PMC3760166
- NLM abbreviation
- J Abnorm Psychol
- ISSN
- 0021-843X
- eISSN
- 1939-1846
- Grant note
- R01 DA016903 || DA / National Institute on Drug Abuse : NIDA R01 HD061384 || HD / National Institute of Child Health & Human Development : NICHD R01 MH056961 || MH / National Institute of Mental Health : NIMH
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/2013
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Center for Social Science Innovation
- Record Identifier
- 9984065479902771
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