The current literature investigating the structure of effortful control (EC) is mixed, as the results vary by the methods utilized. Much of the literature on the relation between EC and psychopathology indicates low levels of EC are most strongly associated with higher levels of psychopathology. Preliminary evidence, however, suggests a nonlinear association exists between EC and positive psychological outcomes. The aims of this study were twofold: 1) Examine the structure of trait EC assessed via parent report, experimenter ratings and objective coding of child behavior in response to lab tasks, and attentional control measures, and 2) Examine concurrent and predictive linear and nonlinear associations between EC and two common dimensions of psychopathology (externalizing and internalizing symptoms) in a sample (n = 277) of children between 3-7 years of age. The results generally support a unidimensional structure of trait EC in young children, with modest-to-moderate convergent validity between parent report, experimenter ratings, objective coding of child behavior, and attentional control measures providing additional support for this model. Trait EC (across most methods of assessment) exhibited concurrent, as well as a few prospective predictive relations with maternal reported externalizing and internalizing behavior problems on the CBCL.
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