The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal, bidirectional relationship between language skills and behavior problems in a sample of 194 preschool children enrolled in Head Start programs. Children were individually assessed using the Preschool Language Scale-5, and teachers completed the Child Behavior Checklist-Teacher Report 1½–5. Cross-lagged path models using a structural equation modeling approach tested the reciprocal associations between language skills and behavior problems over the preschool year. Findings supported a bidirectional relationship between internalizing behavior problems and expressive language skills. However, findings supported a unidirectional association between early receptive language skills and later internalizing behavior problems. Gender moderated the relationship between receptive and expressive language skills and internalizing behavior problems in such a way that the association was only significant for girls. Implications for early intervention and prevention efforts targeting language development and behavior problems were discussed.

中文翻译：

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低收入家庭学龄前儿童语言能力与行为问题的双向关系

本研究的目的是在 194 名参加启蒙计划的学龄前儿童的样本中检查语言技能和行为问题之间的纵向双向关系。使用学前语言量表 5 对儿童进行单独评估，教师完成了儿童行为清单 - 教师报告 1½–5。使用结构方程建模方法的交叉滞后路径模型测试了学龄前语言技能和行为问题之间的相互关联。研究结果支持内化行为问题和表达语言技能之间的双向关系。然而，研究结果支持早期接受语言技能与后来内化行为问题之间的单向关联。性别调节了接受性和表达性语言技能与内化行为问题之间的关系，这种关联仅对女孩有意义。讨论了针对语言发展和行为问题的早期干预和预防工作的影响。