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Child Language Difficulties and Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms: A Meta‐Analysis
Author(s) -
Hentges Rochelle F.,
Devereux Chloe,
Graham Susan A.,
Madigan Sheri
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/cdev.13540
Subject(s) - psychology , externalization , psychopathology , developmental psychology , association (psychology) , language development , meta analysis , poison control , clinical psychology , social psychology , medicine , environmental health , psychotherapist
This study conducted two meta‐analyses to synthesize the association between children’s language skills and two broad‐band dimensions of psychopathology: internalizing and externalizing. Pooled estimates across 139 samples (externalizing k = 105; internalizing k = 90) and 147,305 participants (age range: 2–17 years old; mean % males: 53.75; mean % White participants: 55.59; mean % minority participants: 43.12) indicated small but significant associations between child language skills and externalizing problems (Hedges’ g = .22) and between language skills and internalizing problems (Hedges’ g = .23). The association between language difficulties and externalizing problems was stronger amongst males and in children with low versus high sociodemographic risk. Implications of the results for theory and practice are discussed.