Externalizing behavior in childhood is considered an important predictor for behavioral disorders and antisocial behavior in adolescence and early adulthood. Knowledge of which factors are related...Show moreExternalizing behavior in childhood is considered an important predictor for behavioral disorders and antisocial behavior in adolescence and early adulthood. Knowledge of which factors are related to the presence of externalizing behavior could help create effective interventions for reducing externalizing behavior. Previous research indicated that there is a negative relation between emotion recognition, empathy with externalizing behavior, but the results are inconsistent. The present study aimed to examine whether externalizing behavior could be predicted by emotion recognition and empathy within a sample of children showing externalizing behavior (n = 130). Externalizing behavior was measured with the TRF, nonverbal emotion recognition with the FER, verbal emotion recognition with the ANT prosody task, and cognitive empathy with questions about different emotional video clips. Results showed that non-verbal and verbal recognition of emotions did not correlate significantly with externalizing behavior, except when there was less non-verbal emotion recognition of happy feelings there was slightly more externalizing behavior. Externalizing behavior was not predicted by verbal-, and non-verbal emotion recognition, and cognitive empathy. There also was no partial mediation from verbal- and non-verbal emotion recognition on the relationship between cognitive empathy and externalizing behavior. It seems that children that show less cognitive empathy and correct verbal and non-verbal emotion recognition do not show more externalizing behavior. It is possible that this is different for certain emotions, because children who were slightly better at recognizing the non-verbal emotion happy showed slightly less externalizing behavior. Future research should include the possible effect of age on the relationship between emotion recognition and cognitive empathy with externalizing behavior and the possible difference of externalizing behavior reported by teachers and parents should be taken into account.Show less
Externalizing behavioral problems refer to the extreme way in which an individual may express his or her emotions, often due to a lack of skills to control feelings. To avoid robust problematic...Show moreExternalizing behavioral problems refer to the extreme way in which an individual may express his or her emotions, often due to a lack of skills to control feelings. To avoid robust problematic behavior patterns in later life that are difficult to correct, it is important to be able to detect externalizing behavioral problems in primary school-aged children. However, the perception of what constitutes problematic behavior may differ depending on the type of observer. In particular, parents may view their child’s behavior differently from teachers. The purpose of this research was to examine potential differences between teachers and parents in the judgement of externalizing behavioral problems of primary school-aged children. Also, it was investigated whether differences in judgment depended on a child’s gender or social-cognitive skills. Participants were primary school children from Amsterdam between 5 and 12 years old who exhibited high levels of externalizing behavior at school and at home, and who were siblings of delinquents and/or failed to attend school on a regular basis (N = 178; 73.6% boys). Teachers and parents provided judgments of externalizing problem behaviors using the Child Behavior Checklist and the Teacher Report Form; the Social Cognitive Skills Test was used to measure social-cognitive skills. Results showed that there was a significant difference between parents and teachers: teachers more often concluded a child exhibited externalizing problem behavior. In addition, no gender differences in teacher-parent judgement of externalizing behavioral problems were found. Lastly, social-cognitive skills did not predict externalizing problem behaviors according to parents and teachers, and gender did not influence this association. It can be concluded differences between parents and teachers with regards to judging the degree of externalizing problems are already present in young children, regardless of their gender or social-cognitive skills.Show less
Research master thesis | Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies (research) (MSc)
open access
2017-01-01T00:00:00Z
The aim of this study is to explore the role of language skills, communication and emotion regulation in relation to the degree of externalizing behavior. Studying children with an additional X...Show moreThe aim of this study is to explore the role of language skills, communication and emotion regulation in relation to the degree of externalizing behavior. Studying children with an additional X chromosome, who are known to have language deficits, can reveal insights into the underlying mechanisms of the development of externalizing behavior problems. A total of 85 normal developing children (34 boys and 51 girls) and 33 children with an additional X chromosome (16 girls and 17 boys) participated in the study. All children were tested on language skills (vocabulary, word associations, formulating sentences and concealed meaning) and emotion regulation (Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire- kids). Parents completed questionnaires to assess social communication (Autism Questionnaire-children and Pragmatics Profile) and externalizing behavior (Social Skills Rating System and Child Behavioral Checklist).Our results indicate poorer language and social communication skills, more externalizing problem behavior and lowered levels of self-control in children with an additional X chromosome. Emotion regulation strategies were similar to controls although rumination was more often used as a regulation strategy. Though no direct association between language skills and externalizing behavior was found, findings did indicate an indirect association via social communicational skills. The findings also suggest that emotion regulation was linked to externalizing behavior. Future studies should focus on these possible risk factors in relation to the development of externalizing behavior. This might provide more insight into the treatment of the children with an additional X chromosome, as they have an high risk to develop externalizing behavior problems, early in life.Show less
