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The purpose of this study was to produce a typology of behavior problems in preschool children. Distinct subtypes were identified through the use of cluster analytic techniques on data from the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC)-Parent Rating Scales. Analyses were based on archival data collected on a sample of 268 children, aged 2 to 5 years, who were referred to determine their suitability for a day treatment program. Five distinct and reliable subtypes of preschool children's behavior problems emerged. Ratings of adaptive and social skills based on the BASC Adaptive Scales and measures from the Parenting Stress Index served as external variables to assess the distinctiveness of the derived subtypes. The findings provide evidence for the reliability and validity of the subtypes identified in this study that are consistent with the findings of previous subtyping investigations focusing on school-aged children.

The validity of a Personality Inventory for Children-Revised edition (PIC-R) typology was examined in a sample of 323 children aged 6-16 years. These children had been referred to a children's mental health centre for neuropsychological assessment. In study 1, K-means cluster analysis (k = 12) was applied to the PIC clinical scales in an attempt to replicate the 12 clusters identified by Gdowski, Lachar, and Kline (1985). Partial cluster replication was achieved. Examination of the obtained clusters revealed significant overlap, suggesting that fewer clusters would represent an optimal solution. In study 2, a two-stage cluster analysis yielded a seven-cluster solution consistent with several key forms of psychopathology previously reported in the literature using specific neuropsychological populations. Identified subtypes included profiles characterized as: normal, cognitive deficit, cognitive deficit with internalized psychopathology, cognitive deficit with social impairment, cognitive deficit with hyperactivity, cognitive deficit with both internalized and externalized psychopathology, and combined internalized and externalized psychopathology without a cognitive deficit component.

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This study examined patterns of performance on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence—Revised (WPPSI-R) and the relationship of these patterns to diagnoses of behavioural problems. The sample consisted of 108 children between age 3 and 7 years inclusive who had been referred to a day-treatment program for a wide variety of psychological difficulties. All children had Full Scale IQ scores between 50 and 130. Two-stage cluster analysis identified five reliable subtypes. Three of these were differentiated primarily by level of performance (low, average, and high). The other two were differentiated primarily by pattern of performance: one characterized by nonverbal deficits and the other by verbal deficits. Findings also revealed that the children's previous diagnoses were relatively consistent with their patterns of performance on the WPPSI-R. The significance of these findings in relation to previous research in this area is discussed, and suggestions for future investigations are formulated.