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Personality and Psychopathology in Flemish Referred Children: Five Perspectives of Continuity

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Abstract

The present study investigates five types of continuity of personality and internalizing and externalizing problems (i.e., structural, differential, mean-level, individual-level and ipsative continuity) in a sample of referred children and adolescents (N = 114) with a broad variety of psychological problems. Mothers were administered a child personality and psychopathology measure, i.e., the Hierarchical Personality Inventory for Children [Handleiding hiërarchische persoonlijkheidsvragenlijst voor kinderen (manual hierarchical personality inventory for children). Ghent University, Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Ghent, 2005] and the Child Behavior Checklist [Handleiding voor de cbcl/4–18: (Manual of the CBCL/4–18), Afdeling Kinder- en Jeugdpsychiatrie. Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 1996] at two measurement occasions, with a 26-months interval. Personality was substantially stable, paralleling findings for non-referred peers. Internalizing and Externalizing Problem Behavior were almost as stable as personality traits, suggesting that childhood psychopathology is more persistent than generally assumed. Strengths and limitations of the present study and implications for further research are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

Marleen De Bolle benefited from a BOF-grant B/06610/01 provided by Ghent University during the preparation of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, H. Dunantlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Marleen De Bolle, Barbara De Clercq, Mieke Decuyper & Filip De Fruyt

  2. Centre for Parenting, Child Welfare and Disabilities, A. Vesaliusstraat 2, Box 3765, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Karla Van Leeuwen

  3. Department of Data Analysis, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, H. Dunantlaan 1, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Yves Rosseel

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  1. Marleen De Bolle
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Correspondence to Marleen De Bolle.

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De Bolle, M., De Clercq, B., Van Leeuwen, K. et al. Personality and Psychopathology in Flemish Referred Children: Five Perspectives of Continuity. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 40, 269–285 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-009-0125-1

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