Predicting externalizing behavior in toddlerhood from early individual differences in empathy

Abstract

Background: From middle childhood onward, there is often a negative link between empathy and externalizing behavior problems. Patterns at younger ages are still unclear, with mixed findings of no association, negative associations, and positive associations. This study examines links between empathy and externalizing problems, beginning in infancy. Methods: A community sample of infants (N = 165) was assessed for empathy at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 36 months, using behavioral observations. Externalizing problems were reported at 18 months (by mothers) and 36 months (by mothers and daycare teachers). Results: Boys showed more externalizing problems than girls. For boys, negative associations between empathy and externalizing appeared, particularly with teacher reports. For girls, there were positive associations between empathy and externalizing, which weakened with age. For both genders, empathy at ages 3, 6, and 18 months appeared to protect against increases in externalizing from 18 to 36 months. Conclusions: The role of empathy in the development of early externalizing depends on both gender and age; toddler boys' externalizing may more typically stem from low empathy, whereas girls' early externalizing appears to be underlain by heightened sensitivity and unregulated or assertive approach attempts.

Caring babies: Concern for others in distress during infancy

“…One is the longitudinal links between early empathy and other child outcomes, associated with variations in empathy in older children (e.g. behavior problems, peer relations; Paz, Orlitsky, Roth‐Hanania, & Zahn‐Waxler, & Davidov, in press). As well, exceedingly low levels of concern in infancy may be a risk factor (or prodromal sign) for later disorders marked by empathy deficits, like autism or psychopathy (Dadds et al., 2009; Hutman et al., 2010; Rhee et al., 2013; Zahn‐Waxler et al, 2018).…”

Developmental inflection point for the effect of maternal childhood adversity on children’s mental health from childhood to adolescence: Time-varying effect of gender differences

“…Third, similar to existing studies on teen parents (Mollborn & Lovegrove, 2011), teen fathers' experiences were not reflected. Although relatively higher influences of maternal childhood adversity on child developmental outcomes have been observed, compared to the influences of paternal childhood adversity (Folger et al, 2018;Schickedanz et al, 2018) (Broidy & Agnew, 1997) and the gender socialization hypothesis (Chodorow, 1978) and empirically evidenced by elevated internalizing problems among girls (Carter et al, 2010;Gutman & Codiroli McMaster, 2020) and externalizing problems among boys (Castelao & Kröner-Herwig, 2014;Paz et al, 2021)-may be less prominent in more recent data. Our findings do not follow such patterns.…”

“…Conceptually, gendered strain theory (Broidy & Agnew, 1997) and the gender socialization hypothesis (Chodorow, 1978;Kågesten et al, 2016) suggest that mental health manifestation in response to distress tends to differ across genders-girls may take distress inward, more likely expressing their distress in a form of internalizing problems, whereas boys may express distress outward, more likely manifesting their distress in a form of externalizing problems (Chaplin & Aldao, 2013). Corroborating such conceptual speculation, empirical evidence indicated that internalizing problems are elevated among girls (Carter et al, 2010;Gutman & Codiroli McMaster, 2020) and externalizing problems are elevated among boys (Arnett et al, 2015;Castelao & Kröner-Herwig, 2014;Paz et al, 2021). Applying this notion and empirical findings to the current study, the intergenerational influences of maternal childhood adversity may surface as internalizing problems for girls and externalizing problems for boys.…”

The Origins of the Dark—Hyperactivity and Negative Peer Relationships, an Objectively Lower Sleep Efficiency, and a Longer Sleep Onset Latency at Age Five Were Associated with Callous-Unemotional Traits and Low Empathy at Age 14

“…Given the lack of previous research, we drew on findings from cross-sectional studies to formulate the following hypotheses. First, following other studies, we expected that positive psychological traits in childhood would be associated with and even predict lower callous-unemotional traits [ 53 , 62 , 63 ] and higher empathy scores [ 64 , 65 , 66 ] at age 14 (Hypothesis 1).…”