THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN INTERNALIZED AND EXTERNALIZED PROBLEM BEHAVIOR AMONG SLOVAK EARLY ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Background: Current research findings regarding risk behavior have suggested examining the association between externalized problem behavior (EPB) and internalized problem behavior (IPB). This submitted work explores a set of IPB as factors which increase the likelihood of specific EPB. Aim: To assess the impact of IRB such as body dissatisfaction, bulimic symptoms and drive for thinness on EPB such as alcohol use, cigarette smoking and marihuana use. Methods: The sample size consisted of 1180 pupils (50.1% girls; mean age=12.99; SD=.77) from all regions in Slovakia. The children were administered questionnaires to monitor EPB alcohol use, tobacco or electronic cigarette smoking, marihuana use and IRB – dive for thinness, bulimic symptoms (Eating disorder inventory), body dissatisfaction (Children body image scale). Results: Three separate models of logistic regression were performed to assess the impact of IRB factors on the likelihood that respondents would report EPB: (1) alcohol use, (2) cigarette smoking, (3) marihuana use. The models containing interactions of gender and independent variables were significant. Model 1: Being male and bulimic symptoms increased the likelihood of alcohol use. Moreover, the interaction between gender and the drive for thinness indicated that the association between alcohol use and the drive for thinness was significant among girls but not among boys. Model 2: Bulimic symptoms increased the likelihood of cigarette smoking. The interaction between gender and the drive for thinness had the same character as Model 1. Model 3: Being male and the drive for thinness increased the likelihood of marihuana use. The interaction effect of gender and body dissatisfaction on marihuana use has the same character as interactions in Models 1 and 2. Conclusions: IPB increases the likelihood of EPB in early adolescents. The significant interactions suggest that a higher drive for thinness among girls places them in the group of potential alcohol users and cigarettes smokers whereas there is no effect of the drive for thinness on males. The interaction effect of body dissatisfaction and gender is similar in the case of marihuana use. The current results contribute to previous findings and might be beneficial in preventing ERB in early adolescents.