ERIC Number: ED598332
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 38
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Informant Discrepancies in Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms in an At-Risk Sample: The Role of Parenting and School Engagement
Curhan, Alexa L.; Rabinowitz, Jill A.; Pas, Elise T.; Bradshaw, Catherine P.
Grantee Submission
A number of studies have used variable-centered approaches to examine informant discrepancies on children's behavior problems; however, few such studies have used person-centered approaches to explore patterns of informant discrepancies or correlates of discrepancies in informant symptom ratings. The present study addressed these gaps by examining profiles of informant agreement on internalizing and externalizing symptoms and examining whether two important contextual factors, parenting and school engagement, are associated with profile membership. Data from an at-risk, urban sample of youth participants (N = 346, M age = 12.47 +/- 0.60 years, 56% male, and 75% Black), their caregivers, and one of their teachers were analyzed in the current study. Youth from 20 schools in a Mid-Atlantic state were screened for elevated levels of aggression and were selected to participate in the Early Adolescent Coping Power study. At baseline, youth, caregivers, and teachers reported on youth's internalizing symptoms and caregivers and teachers reported on youth's externalizing symptoms. Caregivers reported on their parenting; youth reported on their school engagement. Two internalizing symptoms profiles were identified: "Low Symptoms Agreement" and "Youth-Reported High Somatization and Anxiety." Three externalizing symptoms profiles were identified: "Low Symptoms Agreement", "Teacher-Reported High Externalizing", and "Caregiver-Reported High Externalizing". These profiles differed significantly on parenting behaviors and school engagement, shedding light on factors that may underlie informant discrepancies. [This paper will be published in "Journal of Youth and Adolescence."]
Descriptors: Behavior Problems, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Child Behavior, At Risk Persons, Early Adolescents, Aggression, Coping, Parenting Styles, Student School Relationship, Anxiety, Teacher Attitudes, Parent Attitudes, Student Attitudes, Educational Environment, Family Environment, Grade 7, Middle School Students, Middle School Teachers, Rating Scales, Urban Youth
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 7; Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Behavior Assessment System for Children
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R305A140070
Author Affiliations: N/A