%0 Journal Article
%T The association between preschool behavioural problems and internalizing difficulties at age 10-12 years
%J European child and adolescent psychiatry
%D 2010
%A Slemming, Kirsten
%A Sørensen, MJ
%A Thomsen, Per H.
%A Obel, Carsten
%A Henriksen, Tine B.
%A Linnet, Karen M.
%V 19
%N 10
%P 787-795
%X The aim was to study the association between preschool behavioural problems and emotional symptoms in 10- to 12-year-old children. The study was based on the Aarhus Birth cohort, Denmark, and included 1,336 children. Based on the parent-administered preschool behaviour questionnaire (PBQ), we identified three not mutually exclusive preschool behavioural categories: anxious-fearful (n = 146), hyperactive-distractible (n = 98), and hostile-aggressive (n = 170). Children without any known symptoms were considered well adjusted (n = 1,000). Borderline emotional (n = 105) and emotional difficulties (n = 136) were measured at age 10-12 years with the parent-administered strength and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ). Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to adjust for potential confounding factors. We found that anxious-fearful behaviour and hostile-aggressive preschool behaviour were associated with twice the risk of school-age emotional difficulties. Comorbidity or confounding failed to explain these results. Hyperactive-distractible preschool behaviour was not associated with school-age emotional difficulties. Preschool anxious-fearful behaviour was associated with school-age emotional difficulties, suggesting internalizing symptom stability in some children from early childhood. Preschool hostile-aggressive behaviour was also associated with school-age emotional difficulties, which suggests transformation of one behavioural dimension into another through childhood, and the need to focus on both early internalizing difficulties and hostile-aggressive behaviour as risk factors for later internalizing difficulties.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group
%@ 1018-8827
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00787-010-0128-2