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Childhood, Vol. 7, No. 4, 439-466 (2000)
DOI: 10.1177/0907568200007004004

Preschool Children and Behaviour Problems

A Prospective Study

JAKE M. NAJMAN

University of Queensland j.najman{at}mailbox.uq.edu.au

WILLIAM BOR

Queensland Health

MARGARET J. ANDERSEN

University of Queensland

MICHAEL O'CALLAGHAN

Mater Hospital, Brisbane

GAIL M. WILLIAMS

University of Queensland

Toddler/child behaviour problems have received relatively little previous attention. Prior studies have implicated a wide variety of factors in the aetiology of child behaviour problems but many of these factors are correlated and little is known about their independent contributions. Four broad categories of factors have been associated with child behaviour problems: (1) maternal social and economic characteristics; (2) maternal lifestyle; (3) maternal mental state/child-rearing practices; and (4) maternal and child physical health. The study took a sample of 5296 families from the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP) for whom 5-year prospective data are available. The major predictors of toddler behaviour problems were the mother's and child's health, and the mother's mental state. The mother's sociostructural characteristics and lifestyle made little or no additional contribution to the prediction models. It is, however, salutary to note that the majority of children who are classified as having high levels of troublesome behaviour do not fall into any of the risk categories. A variety of explanations and interpretations of the data is considered.

Key Words: child behaviour problems • child's health • mental health • mother's health • mother's lifestyle • preschool children


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