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. 2013 Aug;52(8):841-850.e2.
doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2013.05.007. Epub 2013 Jun 22.

The dysregulation profile in young children: empirically defined classes in the Generation R study

Maartje M G J Basten  1 , Robert R Althoff, Henning Tiemeier, Vincent W V Jaddoe, Albert Hofman, James J Hudziak, Frank C Verhulst, Jan van der Ende
Affiliations

The dysregulation profile in young children: empirically defined classes in the Generation R study

Maartje M G J Basten et al. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2013 Aug.

Abstract

Objective: Children with co-occurring internalizing and externalizing problems have higher levels of impairment and worse outcomes later in life, but it is unclear whether these children can be distinguished validly from children who have problems in a single domain. We used a person-centered statistical approach to examine whether a group of children with co-occurring internalizing and externalizing problems can be identified in a general-population sample of young children.

Method: This study included a population-based sample of 6,131 children, aged 5 through 7 years. Mothers (92.6%) reported emotional and behavioral problems using the Child Behavior Checklist/1.5-5 (CBCL). A latent profile analysis was performed on the CBCL syndrome scales. Identified classes were compared on early socioeconomic and parental risk factors using multinomial logistic regression.

Results: We identified 4 classes, as follows: a class scoring high on all internalizing and externalizing scales (1.8%); a class with internalizing problems (5.3%); a class with externalizing problems and emotional reactivity (7.3%); and a class without problems (85.6%). The first class, with co-occurring problems, was associated with higher levels of maternal and paternal affective symptoms and hostility than the other 3 classes.

Conclusions: The class with co-occurring internalizing and externalizing problems appears to be highly similar to the CBCL Dysregulation Profile described in older children. This empirically based dysregulation profile offers a promise to the study of the development of poor self-regulation.

Keywords: Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL); dysregulation; latent profile analysis (LPA); parental psychopathology; preschool.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mean T-scores from the latent profile model with 4 classes. Note: CBCL = Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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