TY - JOUR
T1 - Bidirectional Relationship Between Language Skills and Behavior Problems in Preschool Children From Low-Income Families
AU - Bichay-Awadalla, Krystal
AU - Qi, Cathy Huaqing
AU - Bulotsky-Shearer, Rebecca J.
AU - Carta, Judith J.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors extend their appreciation to the children and families who participated in this study, as well as the teachers and directors of the Head Start centers for their collaboration. They also thank M Lee van Horn for his insightful comments on the manuscript. The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by the Exploratory/Development Grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (1R21HD069759-01A1) awarded to the second author and University of New Mexico and to the University of Kansas.
PY - 2020/6/1
Y1 - 2020/6/1
N2 - The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal, bidirectional relationship between language skills and behavior problems in a sample of 194 preschool children enrolled in Head Start programs. Children were individually assessed using the Preschool Language Scale-5, and teachers completed the Child Behavior Checklist-Teacher Report 1½–5. Cross-lagged path models using a structural equation modeling approach tested the reciprocal associations between language skills and behavior problems over the preschool year. Findings supported a bidirectional relationship between internalizing behavior problems and expressive language skills. However, findings supported a unidirectional association between early receptive language skills and later internalizing behavior problems. Gender moderated the relationship between receptive and expressive language skills and internalizing behavior problems in such a way that the association was only significant for girls. Implications for early intervention and prevention efforts targeting language development and behavior problems were discussed.
AB - The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal, bidirectional relationship between language skills and behavior problems in a sample of 194 preschool children enrolled in Head Start programs. Children were individually assessed using the Preschool Language Scale-5, and teachers completed the Child Behavior Checklist-Teacher Report 1½–5. Cross-lagged path models using a structural equation modeling approach tested the reciprocal associations between language skills and behavior problems over the preschool year. Findings supported a bidirectional relationship between internalizing behavior problems and expressive language skills. However, findings supported a unidirectional association between early receptive language skills and later internalizing behavior problems. Gender moderated the relationship between receptive and expressive language skills and internalizing behavior problems in such a way that the association was only significant for girls. Implications for early intervention and prevention efforts targeting language development and behavior problems were discussed.
KW - Head Start
KW - internalizing and externalizing problems
KW - preschool children
KW - receptive and expressive language
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U2 - 10.1177/1063426619853535
DO - 10.1177/1063426619853535
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85067892517
VL - 28
SP - 114
EP - 128
JO - Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
JF - Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
SN - 1063-4266
IS - 2
ER -
