Longitudinal Relations between Language, Social Skills, and Behavior Problems of Preschool Children from Low-Income Families

• In Event: Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: PS 12 Topic - Developmental Psychopathology

Abstract

Language, social skills, and behavioral functioning are critical aspects of the early development of preschool children (Longobardi et al., 2016). Longitudinal studies have indicated that early receptive and expressive language difficulties are associated with later behavior problems in preschool children (Bichay-Awadalla et al., 2019). While there is evidence that language skills predict later behavior problems, the underlying mechanisms that account for these associations are not well understood. One potential mechanism might be social skills. Children with lower language skills might have more trouble navigating their social world, which might impede positive social interactions (McCabe & Meller, 2004). Children with poorer social skills might be rejected by peers thus having fewer opportunities for positive engagement, which can contribute to behavior problems (Cole et al., 1996). The purpose of the study was to examine the longitudinal relations between language and behavior problems and whether social skills mediated these relations among children enrolled in Head Start.
Methods
Participants
Participants included 242 children (48% girls; Mage = 43.45 months, SD = 3.66) and their primary caregivers/guardians (usually mothers) at the first assessment, who were enrolled in 41 classrooms across 14 Head Start centers in the Southwest United States. Over a two-year period, parents and teachers reported children’s behavior problems using the Child Behavior Checklist Ages 1½-5, and social skills using the Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales. Children’s expressive and receptive language skills were assessed individually using the Preschool Language Scale-5.
Results
Results suggested that children’s early receptive language predicted later teacher-reported child internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Specifically, PLS-5 expressive (β = .09, SE = .29, p = .09) and receptive language scores (β = .10, SE = .30, p = .10) at Time 1 were not significantly associated with teacher-reported social skills at Time 2. However, there were significant main effects of teacher-reported internalizing behavior at Time 3, such that higher receptive language scores (β = -.20, SE = .16, p = .03) and better social skills (β = -.33, SE = .04, p < .001) were significantly related to lower teacher-reported internalizing behavior.
PLS-5 expressive (β = .11; SE = .29; p = .25) and receptive language scores (β = .10; SE = .30; p = .32) at Time 1 were not significantly associated with teacher-reported social skills at Time 2. Social skills at Time 2 were negatively associated with teacher-reported externalizing behaviors at Time 3, β = -.34; SE = .04; p < .001, such that better social skills were significantly associated with lower levels of externalizing behaviors. The analysis showed a main effect, such that higher receptive language scores at Time 1 predicted decreased teacher-reported externalizing behaviors at Time 3, β = -.21; SE = .15; p = .01.
Social skills did not mediate associations between language skills and parent- or teacher-reported child behavior problems. Discussion focuses on the role of language skills and social skills in the development of behavior problems across early childhood.

Authors

• Alexandra Nicole Davis, University of New Mexico
  Presenting Author

• Cathy Huaqing Qi, University of New Mexico
  Non-Presenting Author