Parent-Child Discrepancies in the Assessment of Internalizing/Externalizing Behavior

Abstract

This study focused on informant discrepancies in reports on internalizing/externalizing child behavior and associations with parenting dimensions. The study was based on two longitudinal samples followed from Grade 2 to 4 and from Grade 4 to 6. Internalizing/externalizing symptoms were assessed yearly by children’s self-reports and parent-proxy reports. Responsiveness and behavioral and psychological control assessed by the children and their parents were included as parenting dimensions. Child reports on symptoms were higher than parent-proxy reports. Regarding internalizing symptoms, the discrepancies decreased with children’s age. Relations to parenting were shown mainly for psychological control. If parents perceive themselves as psychologically controlling, the discrepancies are smaller, while discrepancies are larger when children perceive their parents as psychologically controlling. Psychologically controlling parents may have a strong focus on the behavior of their children, leading to a stronger agreement between child reports and parent-proxy reports. Children, however, may report more problem behavior if they feel themselves to be under close observation by their parents.