Thesis
Emerging behavior problems: Differential contributions of anger and fear in the first year of life
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2015
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/101466
Abstract
There is a body of literature suggesting that early emotional difficulties represent risk factors for early emerging externalizing and internalizing difficulties, which have been in turn linked with social-emotional difficulties (i.e., anxiety, depression) and maladaptive outcomes (e.g., delinquency) later in life. The current study focused primarily on anger/frustration and fearfulness, fine-grained components of negative emotionality that have been linked to later internalizing and externalizing difficulties. The primary goal of the current study was to examine whether individual differences in the components of infant negative emotionality would differentially predict the emergence of behavior problem patterns in the toddler period using a multi-method, longitudinal design. It was anticipated that infant anger/frustration would predict later externalizing difficulties, whereas fearfulness would predict later internalizing difficulties. Participants were mother-infant dyads who completed parent-report and laboratory observation measures of infant temperament at 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-months, as well as a child behavior inventory when infants were 24-months old. Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted to examine relative contributions of parent-report and observation-based indicators of fear and anger/frustration to the behavior problems outcomes at each assessment phase. Parent-reported infant anger at 8- and 12-months emerged as significant predictors of later internalizing difficulties. The present findings provide support for the importance of further investigations into how individual differences in fine-grained components of negative emotionality contribute to the emergence of different behavior problem patterns later in life. Limitations of the present study include the utilization of a homogeneous sample and potential flaws inherent in the chosen assessment methods. Future research should include additional evaluations of temperament and behavior problems in a more diverse sample
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Details
- Title
- Emerging behavior problems
- Creators
- Minh Emmarie Tran
- Contributors
- Maria A. Gartstein (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Psychology, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Identifiers
- 99900525136601842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis