Assessment of Adolescent Externalizing Behavior Problems:

1
Assessment of Adolescent Externalizing Behavior
Problems Multiple Times During the
Year? Manfred H. M. van Dulmen, Elizabeth A.
Goncy Kent State University, Department of
Psychology

• Results
• Stability of inter-individual differences
• Externalizing behavior problems were relatively
  stable throughout the year
• Bivariate correlations ranging from r .60
  (initial assessment with 9-month assessment) to r
  .89 (initial assessment with 3-month
  assessment) (all plt.01)
• (Table 1).
• Latent growth curve analyses indicated a
  non-significant linear slope from initial
  assessment through 9-months

• Background Rationale
• Determining the frequency by which to assess
  behavior problems is essential in effectively
  designing longitudinal studies (Collins, 2006)
• Externalizing behavior are relatively stable
  throughout the year and thus majority of
  developmental studies conduct annual or biannual
  assessments
• Use of clinical cut-off scores popular among
  developmental scholars. Not clear to what degree
  empirical results on stability of interindividual
  differences translate to identification of
  elevated levels of externalizing behavior
  problems.

• Stability of clinical cut-off scores
• 16 (N8) in clinical range at initial assessment
• 17 (N9) at 3 months
• 12 (N6) at 6 months
• 15 (N8) at 9 months
• Statistically significant associations (?2)
  across all assessments, but
• Information from 3, 6, and 9 month assessment
  increased of individuals in clinical range from
  16 to 33

• Aims Current Study
• Investigate the stability of adolescent
  externalizing behavior problems throughout the
  year
• Investigate whether stability of adolescent
  externalizing behavior problems differs depending
  on using continuous versus clinical cut-off
  scores

• Conclusions Future Directions
• Conclusions
• Deciding on time-interval between assessments in
  designing longitudinal studies of externalizing
  behavior problems may depend on whether one is
  interested in studying individual differences
  versus incidence rates of clinical levels of
  externalizing behavior problems
• Annual or biannual assessments may well capture
  changes in individual differences but multiple
  assessments through the year are essential if one
  is interested in capturing clinical levels of
  externalizing behavior problems
• Future directions
• Current sample had lower of adolescents with
  elevated levels of externalizing behavior
  problems than expected ? investigate to what
  degree current results would replicate in high
  risk samples (see also Lahey et al., 1995)
• Extend current findings with other measures of
  externalizing behavior problems (e.g. CBCL) and
  across different informants as large majority of
  respondents in current sample included biological
  mothers (gt80).

• Methods
• Participants
• 51 parent-child dyads (N 102) recruited through
  pediatric care offices in a Midwestern urban area
• Adolescents between 10-14 years of age (M
  12.40)
• 71 female
• 50 Caucasian/46 African-American
• Primary caregivers
• 87 biological mothers
• M age 40.50 years
• Measures
• Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI, Eyberg
  Ross, 1978) at initial waiting room assessment as
  well as follow-up telephone interviews at 3, 6,
  and 9 months
• Total score on ECBI intensity and clinical
  cut-off score on intensity scale (80 or higher
  normed separately for females and males, see ECBI
  Manual)

Acknowledgment This project was partially funded
by the Kent State University Research Council. We
would like to thank Jim Fitzgibbon and Iris
Meltzer (Akron Childrens Hospital) for their
support to this project. Please address
correspondence regarding this project to Manfred
van Dulmen mvandul_at_kent.edu. For handouts
please visit Adolescent Developmental
Psychopathology Lab Website http//dept.kent.edu/p
sychology/ADPlab/Index.html