School attendance problems and youth psychopathology: Structural cross-lagged regression models in three longitudinal data sets

Jeffrey J. Wood, Sarah D. Lynne-Landsman, David A. Langer, Patricia A. Wood, Shaunna L. Clark, J. Mark Eddy, Nick Ialongo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

48 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study tests a model of reciprocal influences between absenteeism and youth psychopathology using 3 longitudinal datasets (Ns=20,745, 2,311, and 671). Participants in 1st through 12th grades were interviewed annually or biannually. Measures of psychopathology include self-, parent-, and teacher-report questionnaires. Structural cross-lagged regression models were tested. In a nationally representative data set (Add Health), middle school students with relatively greater absenteeism at Study Year 1 tended toward increased depression and conduct problems in Study Year 2, over and above the effects of autoregressive associations and demographic covariates. The opposite direction of effects was found for both middle and high school students. Analyses with 2 regionally representative data sets were also partially supportive. Longitudinal links were more evident in adolescence than in childhood.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)351-366
Number of pages16
JournalChild development
Volume83
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2012

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
  • Education
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'School attendance problems and youth psychopathology: Structural cross-lagged regression models in three longitudinal data sets'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this