Observational analysis revealed a negative link between externalizing symptoms and school readiness in preschoolers, suggesting early intervention may prevent academic difficulties.
Externalizing symptoms are common in preschoolers and predict maladjustment in adolescence and adulthood, including academic difficulties. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between externalizing symptoms and school readiness regarding math, motor, and language skills in an epidemiological sample of preschoolers. The participants were 722 children aged 4–5 from public preschools in Embu das Artes, São Paulo, Brazil. School readiness was assessed using the Engle Scale of Child Development (ESCD), form B, and externalizing symptoms were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1.5–5 (CBCL/1.5–5). The results showed a significant negative association between externalizing symptoms and school readiness, which was more pronounced with math school readiness. Findings highlight the importance of early identification of and intervention on externalizing symptoms in preschoolers to improve academic outcomes and prevent future mental health difficulties.
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Ribeiro et al. (2025) studied this question.
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