We examined the relations between language skills and behavior problems and whether social skills mediated these relations among preschool children enrolled in Head Start programs. Participants included 242 preschool children and their parents in Head Start programs. Over a 2-year period, parents and teachers reported children’s behavior problems using the Child Behavior Checklist Ages 1½-5, and social skills using the Social Skills Improvement System-Rating Scales. Children’s expressive and receptive language skills were assessed individually using the Preschool Language Scale-5. Results suggested that children’s early receptive language predicted later teacher-reported child internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Social skills did not mediate associations between language skills and parent- or teacher-reported child behavior problems.

中文翻译：

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低收入家庭学龄前儿童语言技能、社交技能和行为问题的纵向检查

我们研究了语言技能和行为问题之间的关系，以及社交技能是否在参加启蒙计划的学龄前儿童之间调节了这些关系。参与者包括参加启蒙计划的 242 名学龄前儿童及其父母。在 2 年的时间里，家长和老师使用 1½-5 岁儿童行为检查表报告了儿童的行为问题，并使用社交技能改进系统评分量表报告了社交技能。使用学前语言量表 5 单独评估儿童的表达和接受语言技能。结果表明，儿童早期的接受语言预测了后来教师报告的儿童内化和外化行为。社交技能并不能调节语言技能与父母或教师报告的儿童行为问题之间的关联。