The purpose of this study was to produce a typology of behavior problems in preschool children. Distinct subtypes were identified through the use of cluster analytic techniques on data from the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC)—Parent Rating Scales. Analyses were based on archival data collected on a sample of 268 children, aged 2 to 5 years, who were referred to determine their suitability for a day treatment program. Five distinct and reliable subtypes of preschool children's behavior problems emerged. Ratings of adaptive and social skills based on the BASC Adaptive Scales and measures from the Parenting Stress Index served as external variables to assess the distinctiveness of the derived subtypes. The findings provide evidence for the reliability and validity of the subtypes identified in this study that are consistent with the findings of previous subtyping investigations focusing on school-aged children.
Abidin, R.R. (1995). Parenting Stress Index: Professional manual (3rd ed.). Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources Inc.
2.
Abikoff, H., & Klein, R.G. (1992). Attention-deficit hyperactivity and conduct disorder: Co-morbidity and implications for treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 60, 881-892.
3.
Achenbach, T.M. (1993). Empirically based taxonomy: How to use syndromes and profile types derived from the CBCL, TRF, and YSR. Burlington: University of Vermont, Department of Psychiatry .
4.
Achenbach, T.M., & Edelbrock, C.S. (1978). The classification of child psychopathology: A review and analysis of empirical efforts. Psychological Bulletin,85, 1275-1301.
5.
Achenbach, T.M., & Edelbrock, C. (1981). Behavioral problems and competencies reported by parents of normal and disturbed children age four through sixteen. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 46,(Serial No. 188).
6.
Achenbach, T.M., Edelbrock, C., & Howell, C.T. (1987). Empirically based assessment of the behavioral/emotional problems of 2-and 3-year-old children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 15, 629-650.
7.
Achenbach, T.M., Howell, C.T., McConaughy, S.H., & Stanger, C. (1995). Six-year predictors of problems in a national sample: III. Transitions to young adult syndromes. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 34, 658-669.
8.
Achenbach, T.M., & McConaughy, S.H. (1997). Empirically based assessment of child and adolescent psychopathology: Practical applications (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
9.
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed). Washington, DC: Author.
10.
Angold, A., Weissman, M.M., John, K., Merikangas, K.R., Prusoff, B.A., Wickramaratne, P., Gammon, G.D., et al. (1987). Parent and child reports of depression symptoms in children at low and high risk of depression. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 28, 901-915.
11.
August, G.J., MacDonald, A.W., Realmuto, G., & Skare, S.S. (1996). Hyperactive and aggressive pathways: Effects of demographic, family, and child characteristics on children's adaptive functioning . Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 25, 341-351.
12.
Barkley, R.A., Shelton, T.L., Crosswait, C., Moorehouse, M., Fletcher, K., Barret, S., Jenkins, L., et al. (2002). Preschool children with disruptive behavior: Three-year outcome as a function of adaptive disability. Developmental Psychopathology, 14, 45-67.
13.
Behar, L., & Stringfield, S. (1974). A behavior rating scale for the preschool child. Developmental Psychology, 5, 601-610.
14.
Blashfield, R.K., & Aldenderfer, M.S. (1988). The methods are problems of cluster analysis. In J. R. Nesselrode & R. B. Cattell (Eds.), International handbook of multivaritate experimental psychology (pp. 271-303). New York: Plenum.
15.
Butler, K., Rourke, B.P., Fuerst, D.R., & Fisk, J.L. (1997). A typology of psychosocial functioning in pediatric closed-head injury. Child Neuropsychology, 3, 98-133.
16.
Campbell, S.B. (1990). Behavior problems in preschool children: Clinical and developmental issues. New York: Guilford.
17.
Campbell S.B. (1995). Behavior problems in preschool children: A review of recent research. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry , 36, 113-149.
18.
Creasey, G.L., & Jarvis, P.A. (1994). Relationships between parenting stress and developmental functioning among 2-year-olds. Infant Behavior & Development , 17, 423-429.
19.
Curry, J.F., & Thompson, R.J. (1985). Patterns of behavioral disturbance in developmentally disabled and psychiatrically referred children: A cluster analytic approach. Journal of Pediatric Psychology , 10, 151-167.
20.
Edelbrock, C., & Achenbach, T.M. (1980). A typology of child behavior profile patterns: Distribution and correlates for disturbed children aged 6-16. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 8, 441-470.
21.
Edelbrock, C.S., Costello, A.J., Dulcan, M.K., Conover, N.C., & Kala, R. (1986). Parent-child agreement of child psychiatric symptoms assessed via structured interview. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 27, 181-190.
22.
Fagot, B.I., & Leve, L.D. (1998). Teacher ratings of externalizing behavior at school entry for boys and girls: Similar early predictors and different correlates . Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 39, 555-556.
23.
Frick, P.J. (1998). Conduct disorders. In T. H. Ollendick & M. Hersen (Eds.), Handbook of Child Psychopathology (3rd ed., pp. 213-238). New York: Plenum .
24.
Gdowski, C.L., Lachar, D., & Kline, R.B. (1985). A PIC profile typology of children and adolescents: I. Empirically derived alternative to traditional diagnosis. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 94, 346-361.
25.
Herjanic, B., & Reich, W. (1997). Development of a structured psychiatric interview for children: Agreement between child and parent on individual symptoms. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 25, 21-31.
26.
Hinshaw, S.P., Morrison, D.C., Carte, E.T., & Cornsweet, C. (1987) Factoral dimensions of the Revised Behavior Problem Checklist: Replication and validation within a kindergarten sample. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 15, 309-327.
27.
Huberty, C.J., DiStefano, C., & Kamphaus, R.W. (1997). Behavioral clustering of school children. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 32, 105-134.
28.
Kamphaus, R.W., Huberty, C.J., DiStefano, C., & Petoskey, M.D. (1997). A typology of teacher-rated child behavior for a national U.S. sample. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 25, 453-463.
29.
Kamphaus, R.W., Petoskey, M.D., Cody, A.H., Rowe, E.W., Huberty, C.J., & Reynolds, C.R. (1999). A typology of parent rated child behavior for a national U.S. sample. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 40, 607-616.
30.
Kashani, J.H., Orvaschel, H., Burk, J.P., & Reid, J.C. (1985). Informant variance: The issue of parent-child disagreement. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry , 24, 437-441.
31.
Kline, R.B., Lachar, D., & Gdowski, C.L. (1987). A Personality Inventory for Children (PIC) profile typology of children and adolescents: II. Classification rules and specific behavioral correlates. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology , 16, 225-234.
32.
Kohn, M., & Rosman, L.B. (1972). A social competence scale and symptom checklist for the preschool child. Developmental Psychology, 6, 430-444.
33.
Koot, H.M., Van Den Oord, E.J., Verhulst, F.C., & Boomsma, D.I. (1996). Behavioral and emotional problems in young preschoolers: Cross-cultural testing of the validity of the Child Behavior Checklist/ 2-3 . Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 25, 183-196.
34.
Lahey, B.B., & Loeber, R. (1994). Framework for a developmental model of oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. In D. K. Routh (Ed.), Disruptive behavior disorders in childhood (pp. 139-180). New York: Plenum.
35.
Lavigne, J., Arend, R., Rosenbaum, D., Binss, H., Christoffel, K.K., & Gibbons, R.D. (1998). Psychiatric disorders with onset in the preschool years. I. Stability of diagnoses. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 37, 1246-1254.
36.
McConaughy, S.H. (1993). Advances in empirically based assessment of children's behavioral and emotional problems. School Psychology Review , 22, 285-307.
37.
McGuire, J., & Richman, N. (1986). Screening for behavior problems in nurseries: The reliability and validity of the Preschool Behavior Checklist. Journal of Child Psychiatry, 27, 7-32.
Pavuluri, M.N., & Luk, S.L. (1996). Pattern of preschool behavior problems in New Zealand, using the Behavior Check List. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 32, 132-137.
40.
Paykel, E.S. (1981). Have multivariate statistics contributed to classification?British Journal of Psychiatry, 139, 357-362.
41.
Pierce, E., Ewing, L., & Campbell, S. (1999). Diagnostic status and symptomatic behavior of hard-to-manage preschool children in middle childhood and early adolescence . Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 28, 44-57.
42.
Prior, M., White, J., Merrigan, C., & Adler, R. (1998). Preschool behavior problems in a multicultural Australian urban area. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health , 34, 164-169.
43.
Quay, H.C. (1977). Measuring dimensions of deviant behavior: The Behavior Problem Checklist. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology , 5, 277-287.
44.
Quay, H.C., & Peterson, D.R. (1983). Interim manual for the Revised Behavior Problem Checklist (1st ED.). Miami, FL : University of Miami, Authors .
45.
Reynolds, C.R., & Kamphaus, R.W. (1992). Behavior Assessment System for Children. Circle Pines, MN: AGS.
46.
Reynolds, C.R., & Kamphaus, R.W. (2002). The clinician's guide to the Behavior Assessment System for Children. New York : Guilford.
47.
Richman, N. (1977). Is a behavior checklist for preschool children useful? In P. J. Graham (Ed.), Epidemiological approaches to child psychiatry (pp. 125-136). London: Academic Press.
48.
Richman, N., & Graham, P.J. (1971). A behavioral screening questionnaire for use with three-year-old children. Preliminary findings. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 12, 5-33.
49.
Richman, N., & Landsdown, R. (1988). Problems of preschool children. Chichester, England : Wiley.
50.
Richman, N., Stevenson, J., & Graham, P.J. (1982). Preschool to school: A behavioral study. London: Academic Press.
51.
Rourke, B.P., & Fuerst, D.R. (1991). Learning disabilities and psychosocial functioning: A neuropsychological perspective. New York: Guilford.
52.
Rutter, M., Tuma, A. H., & Lann, I. S. (Eds.). (1988). Assessment and diagnosis in child psychopathology. New York: Guilford.
53.
Saunders, C.D., Hall, E.J., Casey, J.E. & Strang, J.D. (2000). Subtypes of psychopathology in children referred for neuropsychological assessment. Child Neuropsychology, 6, 129-143.
54.
Sines, J.O., Pauker, J.D., Sines, L.K., & Owen, D.R. (1969). Identification of clinically relevant dimensions of children's behavior. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 33, 728-734.
55.
Sonuga-Barke, E.J.S., Thompson, M., Stevenson, J., & Viney, D. (1997). Patterns of behavior problems among pre-school children. Psychological Medicine, 27, 909-918.
56.
Stein, M.A., Szumowski, E., Blondis, T.A., & Roizen, N.J. (1995). Adaptive skills dysfunction in ADD and ADHD children . Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines , 36, 663-670.
57.
Stormont, M. (2000). Early child risk factors for externalizing and internalizing behaviors; A 5-year follow-forward assessment. Journal of Early Intervention, 23, 180-190.
58.
Thomas, J.M., & Guskin, K.A. (2001). Disruptive behavior in young children: What does it mean?Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 40, 44-51.
59.
Thompson, R.J., Kronenberger, W., & Curry, J.F. (1989). Behavior classification system for children with developmental, psychiatric, and chronic medical problems. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 14, 559-575.
60.
Trad, P.V. (1989). The preschool child. New York : Wiley.
61.
Trad, P.V. (1994). Depression in infants. In W. M. Reynolds & H. F. Johnston (Eds.), Handbook of depression in children and adolescents (pp. 401-426). New York: Plenum.
62.
Vaughn, S., Hogan, A., Lancelotta, G., & Shapiro, S. (1992). Subgroups of children with severe and mild behavior problems: Social competence and reading achievement. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 21, 98-106.
63.
Vaughn, M.L., Riccio, C.A., Hynd, G.W., & Hall, J. (1997). Diagnosing ADHD (predominantly inattentive and combined type subtypes): Discriminant validity of the Behavior Assessment System for Children and the Achenbach Parent and Teacher Rating Scales. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 26, 349-357.
64.
Verhulst, F.C. (1995). A review of community studies. In F. C. Verhulst & H. M. Koot (Eds.), The epidemiology of child and adolescent psychopathology (pp. 146-177). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press .
65.
Wilens, T.E., Biederman, J., Brown, S., Monuteaux, M., Prince, J., & Spencer, T.J. (2002). Patterns of psychopathology and dysfunction in clinically referred preschoolers. Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 23, S31-S36.
66.
Wirt, R.D., Lachar, D., Klinedinst, J.K., & Seat, P.D. (1984). Multidimensional description of child personality: A manual for the Personality Inventory for Children (Rev.). Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services.
67.
Wolkind, S.N., & Everitt, B. (1974). A cluster analysis of the behavioral items in the pre-school child. Psychological Medicine, 4, 422-427.
