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Testing a Higher Order Model of Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior: The Role of Aggression Subtypes

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Abstract

This study assessed how the forms and functions of aggression fit into a higher order model of internalizing and externalizing behavior, for children in early childhood (N = 332, M age = 47.11 months, SD = 7.32). The lower order internalizing factors were depressed affect, anxious-fearfulness, and asocial behavior (i.e., social withdrawal) and the lower order externalizing factors were deception and hyperactivity. The forms and functions of aggression were crossed to create four factors: reactive relational, reactive physical, proactive relational, and proactive physical aggression. Seven confirmatory factor models were tested. Results supported a two-factor externalizing model where reactive and proactive relational aggression and deception loaded on one externalizing factor and reactive and proactive physical aggression and hyperactivity loaded on another externalizing factor.

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Acknowledgements

We appreciate Dr. Craig R. Colder for providing extensive feedback on the manuscript and statistical models. We also thank Dr. Leonard J. Simms for providing feedback on the proposed models. We thank the UB Social Development Lab for their assistance and special thanks to Dr. Kimberly Kamper-DeMarco and Sarah Blakely-McClure for methodological assistance and coordination of the data collection. We would also like to thank Matthew Scalco for statistical consultation. We are grateful to the families, teachers, and administrators of participating schools. Preparation of this manuscript was facilitated by a grant from the National Science Foundation to the second author (BCS-1450777).

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  1. Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, 478 Park Hall, Buffalo, NY, 14260-4110, USA

    Kristin J. Perry & Jamie M. Ostrov

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Correspondence to Kristin J. Perry.

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Perry, K.J., Ostrov, J.M. Testing a Higher Order Model of Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior: The Role of Aggression Subtypes. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 49, 20–32 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-017-0725-0

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