Abstract

ROMERO GODINEZ, Edith; LUCIO GOMEZ MAQUEO, María Emilia  and  FORNS SANTACANA, María. INTERNALIZING AND EXTERNALIZING PROBLEMS AND ACADEMIC COMPETENCE OF SCHOOL CHILDREN. Act.Colom.Psicol. [online]. 2015, vol.18, n.2, pp.65-74. ISSN 0123-9155.  https://doi.org/10.14718/ACP.2015.18.2.6.

Several studies emphasize the high prevalence of internalizing and externalizing problems (I&EP) in childhood and the impact they have on academic competence (AC). In Mexico, there is little empirical evidence about this topic, so it is important to test the relationship between I&EP and AC in school children, in order to have indicators that may guide the design of interventions. The aim of this study was to analyze the scores obtained on AC indicators in three groups of children with differentials levels of I&EP. The sample was composed by 314 children from public schools, aged between 8 and 12 years, 51% girls and 49% boys. The Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Questionnaire (IEPQ), a Checklist of Demographic Data, the Raven's Progressive Matrices Test, and Academic Competence Tests were administered. A cross-sectional study of comparison groups was carried out. The tests were administered in a group manner in the classrooms. The SPSS v.20 was used for data analysis. Three clusters of I&EP were formed and the scores obtained by each cluster on AC indicators were analyzed and compared through MANOVA. Data showed significant effects on writing in the groups of internalizing problems (IP) and on reading in the groups of externalizing problems (EP). Results about the influence of I&EP on AC are discussed.

Keywords : internalizing and externalizing problems; academic competence; school stage.

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