KINDERGARTEN PREDICTORS OF BOYS STABLE BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS AT THE END OF ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL

This study predicted stable social maladjustment at ages 10, 11, and 1 2 from teacher behavioral ratings in kindergarten and a measure of fam ily demographics. Kindergarten teachers rated 1,034 boys on hyperactiv ity, aggression, inattention, anxiety-withdrawal, and prosocial behavi or. Sociodemographic information was collected from the parents. At ag es 10, 11, and 12 teacher, parent, peer, and self-report behavior rati ngs were collected on 743 boys. School achievement was documented from school records. Boys whose average scores on each of the five behavio ral ratings across ages 10, 11, and 12 were above the 90th percentile according to at least two informants were defined as having stable beh avioral problems. From teacher ratings collected in kindergarten and f amily demographics, logistic regression analyses predicted stable soci al maladjustment For each negative outcome there was a unique set of p redictors. The results are discussed with reference to the early ident ification of children who are at risk.