Development of children's behavior problems.

This study examined the development of behavior problems of white boys and girls in kindergarten through eighth grade (N = 2,991). Data included general information and ratings by teachers on the Behavior Problem Checklist, a 55-item scale that measures five dimensions of psychopathology. Results indicated two patterns of development. One trend was for conduct problems, personality problems, inadequacy-immaturity, and psychotic signs to increase from kindergarten to about the third grade, decline from the third to sixth grade, and to level off from the sixth through eighth grade. The other trend was for socialized delinquency to increase to about the third grade and to remain level through the eighth grade. Boys experienced more behavior problems than girls on four of the five Checklist dimensions, and youngsters from the lower social classes were more maladjusted than their counterparts from the higher socioeconomic groups.