Variations in children's problem behaviors associated with
ethnicity and other demographic
variables were examined in 6–18-year-old children (N=804)
residing in a multicultural
environment. The Child Behavior Checklist–Teacher's Report Form
was used to compare
the frequency of behavior problems among clinic-referred and nonreferred
children of
Hawaiian, Asian, and Caucasian ethnicities. Children who were male, clinic-referred,
or of
Caucasian or Hawaiian ancestry experienced greater levels of behavioral
problems.
Explanations concerning ethnic variations in children's
problem behaviors include: teacher's
perceptual bias, differences in teacher threshold to report problem behaviors,
and/or true
variations in children's behavior.