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THE PREVALENCE OF EXTERNALIZING AND INTERNALIZING BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS AMONG PREADOLESCENTS AND ADOLESCENTS IN TRANSYLVANIA
Abstract
Objectives: The main aim of the study was to establish the occurrence of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, among preadolescents and adolescents belonging to Hungarian minority from Transylvania. In addition, gender and school type differences were analyzed for more accurate results. Methods: Participants were selected randomly: aged between 10-19 years, grades 5 to 12. A total number of 349 preadolescents and adolescents were assessed, 49% of whom were male (N=170) and 51% female (N=179). Participants completed the Child Behavior Checklists (CBCL) self-report version, measuring youth behavior. This instrument had a good reliability indicated by the Cronbach alpha value (?=.75). Results: According to the results 2.9% of the population had severe behavioral problems (clinical group), and 11.9% of participants were categorized into the subclinical group. In this sample the prevalence of the externalizing behavioral problems was 4.0%, while the internalizing problem behavior was 4.9%. The problematic behavior in secondary school scored higher 2.3%, than in high school 0.6%. Significant gender differences occurred in the externalizing behavioral problems, ?2=15.19(2), p=.001. Conclusions: The findings of this study imply that preadolescents and adolescents are more endangered at these ages. These results can be used in both the clinical and educational domain, for example: education, intervention planning, prevention, developing abilities.
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