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Psychological problems and associated factors at 6 years of age: Differences between sexes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2014

Griselda Esparó ,
Josepa Canals ,
Margarita Torrente  and
Joan D. Fernández-Ballart
Griselda Esparó*
Affiliation:
Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Rovira i Virgili University, Spain
Josepa Canals
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Rovira i Virgili University, Spain
Margarita Torrente
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Rovira i Virgili University, Spain
Joan D. Fernández-Ballart
Affiliation:
Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Rovira i Virgili University, Spain
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Griselda Esparó-Hidalgo, Unidad de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Publica, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud y Medicina, Universidad Rovira I Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, E43201 Reus, Cataluña (Spain). E-mail: geh@fmcs.urv.es
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Abstract

In a non-clinical group of 130 children (65 boys and 65 girls), we evaluated the relationships between psychological problems using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) reported by parents, the Inattention Overactivity With Aggression (IOWA) scale reported by teachers, individual factors (Intellectual quotient [IQ], temperament and heart rate) and environmental factors (stress events, mother's profession and being or not being an only child). We found no differences between the sexes in the prevalence of total psychological problems in the clinical range, but girls had significantly more borderline total problems than boys. Girls tended to have more externalizing problems than boys. In boys, there were more links between individual and environmental factors and psychological problems, especially externalizing problems. A high score in psychological problems assessed by the CBCL affected the school performance of boys and the social performance of girls. For boys, IQ was significantly lower when the score for total behavioral problems was higher, and for girls IQ was significantly lower when the score for externalizing problems was higher. Understanding the different levels of vulnerability of the sexes at different periods of development may help to improve the treatment children in this age group receive.

Hemos evaluado, en un grupo de 130 niños (65 niños y 65 niñas) de 6 años de edad, las relaciones que se establecen entre problemas psicológicos (CBCL, obtenido de los padres y IOWA, obtenido de los maestros), factores individuales (cociente intelectual [C.I.], temperamento y frecuencia cardiaca) y factores ambientales (sucesos vitales, profesión materna y tener o no tener hermanos). No se han hallado diferencias entre sexos en la prevalecía de problemas totales de tipo clínico, pero las niñas han presentado significativamente más problemas en el rango límite que los niños. Se ha observado una tendencia a presentar más problemas exteriorizados en las niñas. En los varones se ha encontrado un mayor número de asociaciones entre los factores individuales y ambientales y los problemas psicológicos, principalmente los de tipo exteriorizado. Los problemas psicológicos han afectado la competencia escolar en los niños y la competencia social en las niñas. El C.I. se ha encontrado significativamente más bajo en la puntuación de problemas totales en niños y en la puntuación de problemas exteriorizados en niñas. La comprensión de diferentes vulnerabilidades entre sexos, en los diversos periodos evolutivos, puede ayudar a una mejor intervención en los niños de este grupo de edad.

Keywords

psychological problemssex differencesCBCLIQproblemas psicológicosdiferencias entre sexosCBCLC.I.
Type
Articles
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 7 , Issue 1 , May 2004 , pp. 53 - 62
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2004

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