General Cognitive Ability as an Early Indicator of Problem Behavior Among Toddlers in Foster Care.
Anneke E Olson, Hyoun K Kim, Jacqueline Bruce and 1 others
PMID 30444738WHAT IT FOUND
Toddlers entering foster care who had lower general cognitive ability showed more problem behavior six months later, even after accounting for behavior at placement.
Parenting stress, routines, and harsh discipline did not predict change.
Key findings
01Lower general cognitive ability at the first assessment was associated with more problem behavior at the second assessment, after accounting for problem behavior at the first assessment.
02Parenting stress, frequency of family routines, and harsh discipline did not significantly predict later problem behavior.
03Borderline clinical or clinical problem behavior scores were present for 38.2% at the first assessment and 25.0% at the second assessment, and total problem scores did not differ significantly over time.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study followed only 91 toddlers from two counties, and only 74 were seen at six months, so it may not apply broadly. Most information came from foster caregivers, so shared reporting bias could affect associations. The cognitive measure used old norms, which may not represent the current general population well. The study did not include maltreatment history, placement history, temperament, or other supports because records were not available. Because problem behavior was stable, controlling for first-visit behavior may have hidden parenting effects. The paper did not test an intervention, so it does not show what would reduce problem behavior.
Declared interests
The paper is labeled as NIH extramural research support. The supplied text does not include a conflict-of-interest declaration.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that improving general cognitive ability will reduce problem behavior. The study was observational and did not test an intervention.