The Association Between Toddlerhood Self-Control and Later Externalizing Problems |
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Authors: | Soo Hyun Rhee Naomi P. Friedman Ashley K. Smith Watts Robin P. Corley John K. Hewitt JoAnn Robinson Carolyn Zahn-Waxler |
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Affiliation: | 1.Institute for Behavioral Genetics,University of Colorado Boulder,Boulder,USA;2.Department of Psychology and Neuroscience,University of Colorado Boulder,Boulder,USA;3.Neuropsychology Department,Samaritan Hospital,Albany,USA;4.Department of Human Development and Family Studies,University of Connecticut,Storrs,USA;5.The Center for Healthy Minds,University of Wisconsin,Madison,USA |
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Abstract: | Lower self-control is a significant correlate or predictor of a wide range of adult outcomes, and this association may be due to more general tendencies toward childhood externalizing problems. The present study examined the association between toddlerhood self-control expressed within a “don’t” compliance task (at 14–36 months) and later externalizing problems (parent-reported externalizing problems from age 4 to 12 years, teacher-reported externalizing problems from age 7 to 12 years, and self-reported conduct disorder symptoms at age 17 years) in a longitudinal, genetically informative study. The slope of self-control, but not its intercept, predicted later teacher-reported, but not parent- or self-reported, externalizing problems. That is, increase in self-control during toddlerhood was associated with lower levels of later teacher-reported externalizing problems. The slope of self-control was no longer a significant predictor of teacher-reported externalizing problems after controlling for observed disregard for others, a robust predictor of externalizing problems. Thus, the hypothesis that self-control is the primary predictor of externalizing problems was not supported. Results from genetic analyses suggested that the covariance between the slope of self-control and teacher-reported externalizing problems is due to both genetic and shared environmental influences. |
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