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Predicting young adult social functioning from developmental trajectories of externalizing behaviour

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 November 2007

I. L. Bongers ,
H. M. Koot ,
J. van der Ende  and
F. C. Verhulst
I. L. Bongers
Affiliation:
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC–Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
H. M. Koot
Affiliation:
Department of Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
J. van der Ende*
Affiliation:
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC–Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
F. C. Verhulst
Affiliation:
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC–Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
*
*Address for correspondence: J. van der Ende, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC–Sophia Children's Hospital, Dr Molewaterplein 60, 3015 GJ Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Background

The long-term consequences of child and adolescent externalizing problems often involve a wide spectrum of social maladaptation in adult life. The purpose of this study was to describe the predictive link of child and adolescent externalizing developmental trajectories to social functioning in adulthood.

Method

Social functioning was predicted from developmental trajectories of parent-reported aggression, opposition, property violations and status violations that were defined in a longitudinal multiple birth cohort study of 2076 males and females aged 4–18 years. Social functioning was assessed using self-reports by young adults aged 18–30 years. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to describe the extent to which developmental trajectories are prospectively related to social functioning.

Results

Children with high-level trajectories of opposition and status violations reported more impaired social functioning as young adults than children with high-level trajectories of aggression and property violations. Young adults who showed onset of problems in adolescence reported overall less impaired social functioning than individuals with high-level externalizing problems starting in childhood. Overall, males reported more impaired social functioning in adulthood than females. However, females with persistent high-level externalizing behaviour reported more impairment in relationships than males with persistent high-level externalizing behaviour.

Conclusion

The long-term consequences of high levels of opposition and status violations in childhood to serious social problems during adulthood are much stronger than for individuals who show only high levels of aggressive antisocial behaviours.

Keywords

Adolescentexternalizing behaviourlongitudinal developmentsocial functioningyoung adulthood
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 38 , Issue 7 , July 2008 , pp. 989 - 999
Copyright
Copyright © 2007 Cambridge University Press

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