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Family Instability and Child Maladjustment Trajectories During Elementary School

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This study examines the relation between family instability and child maladjustment over a 6-year period in 369 children from four communities. Measures were collected annually from kindergarten through fifth grade. In associative growth curve models, family instability trajectories predicted children's externalizing and internalizing behavior trajectories during this time period. High levels of family instability also incrementally predicted the likelihood of meeting criteria for a DSM IV diagnosis during elementary school, above and beyond prediction from earlier measures of maladjustment. However, the timing of family instability had a different effect on externalizing versus internalizing disorders. In general, stronger relations were found between family instability and externalizing behaviors relative to internalizing behaviors, although children with comorbid disorders experienced the highest levels of family instability.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This paper is based on part of the first author's dissertation. The Fast Track project has been supported by NIMH Grants RI8 MH 48043, RI8 MH 50951, RI8 MH 50952, and R18 MH 50953. The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention also has provided support for Fast Track through a memorandum of agreement with the NIMH. This work was also supported in part by Department of Education Grant S 184U30002 and NIMH Grants K05 MH 0079.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, U.S.

    Stephanie Milan

  2. Eliot Pearson Department of Child Development, Tufts University, Boston, MA, U.S.

    Ellen E. Pinderhughes

  3. Address all correspondence to Stephanie Milan, Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020, Storrs, CT, 06269-1020, U.S.

    Stephanie Milan

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  1. Stephanie Milan
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  2. Ellen E. Pinderhughes
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The Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group

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Correspondence to Stephanie Milan.

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The Conduct Problems Prevention Research group is comprised of Karen L. Bierman (Pennsylvania State University), John D. Coie (Duke University), Kenneth A. Dodge (Duke University), E. Michael Foster (Pennsylvania State University), Mark Greenberg (Pennsylvania State University), John E. Lochman (University of Alabama), Robert J. McMahon (University of Washington), and Ellen E. Pinderhughes (Tufts University)

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Milan, S., Pinderhughes, E.E. & The Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group. Family Instability and Child Maladjustment Trajectories During Elementary School. J Abnorm Child Psychol 34, 40–53 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-005-9007-6

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