Article

Longitudinal Effects of Effortful Control on Depression and Aggression in School Age Children: Mediating Effects of Social Skills and Coping Strategies for Stress and Gender Differences

Author

Kim Jaehee,Kim Hyoun. K.

Information

pp. 37~56 / 2017 Vol.24 No.3

Abstract

The present study examined the extent to which children's effortful control influenced their depression andaggressive behaviors two years later, focusing on mediating effects of children's social skills and negativestress coping strategies. Additionally, potential gender differences in these mediating paths were examined.A community sample of children 397(213 girls) and their parents participated in the study at fourth grade(Time 1, M = 10.43 years) and was followed at 6th grade(Time 2, M = 12.38 years). Data wereanalyzed using Structural Equation Modeling(SEM) in Mplus 7.4. Findings indicated that children's effortfulcontrol significantly predicted their positive social skills, which in turn led to lower levels of depressionand aggressive behaviors two years later. In addition, children's lower levels of effortful control predictedtheir negative stress coping strategies, which subsequently led to higher levels of depression and aggressivebehaviors. It was also found that there were significant gender differences; boys' lower levels of effortfulcontrol and higher levels of negative stress coping strategies were directly associated with aggressivebehaviors and indirectly associated with depression through social skills deficits. On the other hand, directeffects of effortful control on depression and aggressive behaviors were not significant for girls. Instead,their social skills directly predicted depression and aggressive behaviors. Further, girls' lower levels ofeffortful control were significantly predictive of aggressive behaviors medicated through high levels ofnegative stress coping strategies. These findings can inform efforts to develop gender specific preventionand intervention programs to prevent problem behaviors in school age children.

Keywords