Transactional pathways in the development of externalizing behaviors in a sample of kindergarten children with impaired self-control

Problems relating to self-regulatory skills, interpersonal skills, and learning difficulties place children at increased risk for persistent externalizing behaviors. However, less is known about the antecedents of externalizing behavior in children most at-risk for antisocial behavior over the life-course. The current study used longitudinal data from 1,594 children previously shown to have severe behavioral problems selected from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey, Kindergarten Class (ECLS-K) to examine these developmental pathways. Structural equation modeling showed that learning problems, fine motor problems, and gross motor problems occurring at wave 1 were interrelated and variously predictive of self-control deficits and interpersonal deficits at wave 2. Both self-control and interpersonal deficits at wave 2 significantly predicted externalizing behaviors at wave 4. The findings add to an accumulating knowledge base indicating that externalizing behaviors are importantly related to learning, motor, interpersonal, and self-control deficits.