Ates to age 10- and 14-year Actidione web outcomes or from age 10-year Zebularine web covariates to age 14-year outcomes) in the path analysis models. Covariates were allowed to correlate within and between ages. At the zero-order level, neither child intellectual functioning (at 4 and 10 years) nor maternal education (at 4, 10, and 14 years) was correlated with any of the child outcomes with 3 exceptions: Child intellectual functioning at age 4 years was correlated with 4-year social competence, r(115) = .31, p = .001, and externalizing behaviors, r(115) = -.35, p < .001. Child intellectual functioning at 4 years also predicted 10-year externalizing behaviors, r(115) = -.21, p < .05. We therefore added age 4-year child intellectual functioning as an exogenous variable to the final cascade model (Figure 2) and re-evaluated the developmental cascade effects. Age 4year child intellectual functioning was allowed a direct path to 10-year externalizing behaviors and covariances with 4-year social competence and externalizing behaviors. However, age 4-year child intellectual functioning did not predict 10-year externalizing behaviors over and above 4-year social competence and the stability of externalizing behaviors, and this path was removed from the model. Figure 3 presents the standardized solution to the final, sequentially constructed developmental cascade model, S-B 2(25) = 49.75, p < .01, robust CFI = .92, SRMR = .08. The model reproduced observed correlations with an average absolute standardized error of .06. The three significant cascade paths and the significant longitudinal links among social competence, externalizing behaviors, and internalizing behaviors across three age periods reported for the final cascade model remained significant and the magnitudes of the indirect effect of 4-year social competence and internalizing problems on 14-year externalizing problems and the indirect effect of 4year social competence on 14-year internalizing problems remained unchanged controlling for child intellectual functioning in the model.NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author ManuscriptDiscussionWe defined developmental cascades as cross-domain uniquely intrapersonal longitudinal relations. Across the ages of 4 to 10 to 14 years, we found that children with lower social competence at age 4 years exhibited more externalizing and internalizing behaviors at age 10 years and more externalizing and internalizing behaviors at age 14 years. Children who exhibited more internalizing behaviors at age 4 years exhibited more internalizing behaviors at age 10 years and more externalizing behaviors at age 14 years. These developmental cascades obtained over and above covariation among social competence and behavioral adjustment at each age and the temporal stability of each characteristic and separate and apart from child intellectual functioning as well as maternal education and social desirability of responding. Results of this study are consistent with a broad cascade model by which functioning in one domain of behavior spreads to other domains, both directly and indirectly from early childhood going forward. Social competence in early childhood showed negative longitudinal links to externalizing and internalizing behaviors in late childhood and early adolescence. Young children who are equipped with social skills experience fewer psychopathological symptoms later, separate and apart from their contemporary levels of symptoms (see also Burt et al., 2008;.Ates to age 10- and 14-year outcomes or from age 10-year covariates to age 14-year outcomes) in the path analysis models. Covariates were allowed to correlate within and between ages. At the zero-order level, neither child intellectual functioning (at 4 and 10 years) nor maternal education (at 4, 10, and 14 years) was correlated with any of the child outcomes with 3 exceptions: Child intellectual functioning at age 4 years was correlated with 4-year social competence, r(115) = .31, p = .001, and externalizing behaviors, r(115) = -.35, p < .001. Child intellectual functioning at 4 years also predicted 10-year externalizing behaviors, r(115) = -.21, p < .05. We therefore added age 4-year child intellectual functioning as an exogenous variable to the final cascade model (Figure 2) and re-evaluated the developmental cascade effects. Age 4year child intellectual functioning was allowed a direct path to 10-year externalizing behaviors and covariances with 4-year social competence and externalizing behaviors. However, age 4-year child intellectual functioning did not predict 10-year externalizing behaviors over and above 4-year social competence and the stability of externalizing behaviors, and this path was removed from the model. Figure 3 presents the standardized solution to the final, sequentially constructed developmental cascade model, S-B 2(25) = 49.75, p < .01, robust CFI = .92, SRMR = .08. The model reproduced observed correlations with an average absolute standardized error of .06. The three significant cascade paths and the significant longitudinal links among social competence, externalizing behaviors, and internalizing behaviors across three age periods reported for the final cascade model remained significant and the magnitudes of the indirect effect of 4-year social competence and internalizing problems on 14-year externalizing problems and the indirect effect of 4year social competence on 14-year internalizing problems remained unchanged controlling for child intellectual functioning in the model.NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author ManuscriptDiscussionWe defined developmental cascades as cross-domain uniquely intrapersonal longitudinal relations. Across the ages of 4 to 10 to 14 years, we found that children with lower social competence at age 4 years exhibited more externalizing and internalizing behaviors at age 10 years and more externalizing and internalizing behaviors at age 14 years. Children who exhibited more internalizing behaviors at age 4 years exhibited more internalizing behaviors at age 10 years and more externalizing behaviors at age 14 years. These developmental cascades obtained over and above covariation among social competence and behavioral adjustment at each age and the temporal stability of each characteristic and separate and apart from child intellectual functioning as well as maternal education and social desirability of responding. Results of this study are consistent with a broad cascade model by which functioning in one domain of behavior spreads to other domains, both directly and indirectly from early childhood going forward. Social competence in early childhood showed negative longitudinal links to externalizing and internalizing behaviors in late childhood and early adolescence. Young children who are equipped with social skills experience fewer psychopathological symptoms later, separate and apart from their contemporary levels of symptoms (see also Burt et al., 2008;.
