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Young children's representations of conflict and distress: A longitudinal study of boys and girls with disruptive behavior problems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 January 2008

Carolyn Zahn-Waxler ,
Jong-Hyo Park ,
Barbara Usher ,
Francesca Belouad ,
Pamela Cole  and
Reut Gruber
Carolyn Zahn-Waxler*
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin
Jong-Hyo Park
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin
Barbara Usher
Affiliation:
National Institute of Mental Health
Francesca Belouad
Affiliation:
National Institute of Mental Health
Pamela Cole
Affiliation:
Pennsylvania State University
Reut Gruber
Affiliation:
McGill University
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Carolyn Zahn-Waxler, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin, 1202 W. Johnson Street, Madison, WI 53706; E-mail czahnwaxler@wisc.edu.
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Abstract

We investigated narratives, symbolic play, and emotions in children who varied in severity of disruptive behavior problems. Children's representations of hypothetical situations of conflict and distress were assessed at 4–5 and 7 years. Behavior problems also were assessed then and again at 9 years. Children's aggressive and caring themes differentiated nonproblem children, children whose problems remained or worsened with age, and those whose problems improved over time. Differences in boys and girls whose problems continued sometimes reflected exaggerations of prototypic gender differences seen across the groups. Boys with problems showed more hostile themes (physical aggression and anger), whereas girls with problems showed more caring (prosocial) themes relative to the other groups. Modulated (verbal) aggression, more common in girls than boys, showed developmentally appropriate increases with age. However, this was true only for children without problems and those whose problems improved. We consider how these findings contribute to an understanding the inner worlds of boys and girls who differ in their early developmental trajectories for behavior problems.

Type
Research Article
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , Winter 2008 , pp. 99 - 119
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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Footnotes

The authors thank the participating families who devoted so much of their time and personal experience to the research. We also express our appreciation to the following individuals for their roles in the research process: Ruth Friedman, Angela McBride, Meg Michel, Kimberlea Osman, Dorothy Richardson, Jenny Simon-Thomas, Laureen Teti, and Jeanne Welsh. The study was supported through the NIMH Intramural Research Program.

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