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Introduction: Numerous studies have examined the relationship between academic skills and behavioral problems. In this study, we explored the relationship between early academic skills and future problem behaviors at school entry in a sample of kindergarten, first-grade, and second-grade, students. We hypothesized that deficits in early literacy skills at the end, but not beginning, of kindergarten would be correlated with problem behaviors at the end of first grade. Further, we investigated whether academic skills would prospectively predict behavior problems in second grade, or whether problem behaviors would predict changes in student academic skills.
Methods: Data used in this study were collected as part of a longitudinal research study to support children and families at school entry, and included teacher surveys, caregiver surveys, and district-level record collection. Data were collected at multiple time points during the students’ kindergarten, first-, and second-grade years. The total sample included N=365 children and families.
Results: Hierarchical regression with block entry indicated that lack of early literacy skills at the end of kindergarten and beginning of first grade significantly predicted problem behaviors in first grade, but literacy skills at school entry did not (p < .05). Further, our preliminary results from a cross lagged panel model suggest that problem behaviors and early academic skills prospectively predict one another over time, supporting our hypotheses.
Conclusions: The findings suggest that the relationship between academic skills and problem behaviors is time-dependent, with important implications not only on the direction of the association but also on the timing of the assessments. From an intervention perspective, these findings also indicate that early academic and behavior interventions could play an essential role in the likelihood of problematic academic and behavior trajectories for children.