Externalizing behaviors and minor unintentional injuries in toddlers: common risk factors?

OBJECTIVE To investigate predictors for externalizing behaviors and minor unintentional injuries in toddlers and to examine whether common risk factors can be identified. METHODS Linear regression models were used to investigate the contributions of predictors belonging to the domains of child characteristics and parental characteristics. Participants were 117 boys (M = 16.9 months) and their parents. RESULTS Two common risk factors for externalizing behaviors and minor injuries were identified: maternal low conscientiousness and paternal low self-control. In addition, children's inhibitory control and dispositional frustration as well as maternal externalizing symptoms contributed independently to children's externalizing behaviors. CONCLUSIONS Results supply some evidence for the interrelatedness of negative outcomes and on the existence of common risk factors. Interventions could aim to address these common risk factors in order to pursue a number of goals at the same time, instead of focusing on only one type of negative outcome.