The observability of problem behavior and its relation to discrepancies between adolescents' self-report and parents' proxy report on problem behavior

Abstract

This study provides evidence regarding the relatedness of multi-informant agreement and perceived observability of internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. Based on 2 distinct but comparable samples of children/adolescents (Sample 1: 58.2% female and mean age of 12.51 years; Sample 2: 56.4% female and mean age of 12.35 years) and their mothers, cross-sectional as well as longitudinal analyses were conducted. Although often suggested in the literature, the results of the study do not indicate that-in general-internalizing behavior is less observable than externalizing behavior. Moreover, the results do not corroborate the suggestion that multi-informant agreement regarding internalizing behavior is lower than that of externalizing behavior. However, apart from the broad distinction of internalizing versus externalizing behavior, observability and multi-informant agreement are positively correlated with respect to reports on actual state (cross-sectional) as well as change (longitudinal) of problem behavior. The results are discussed in the context of research on multi-informant reports on problem behavior and with respect to practical implications for the assessment of problem behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record