The association between receptive nonverbal processing abilities and internalizing/externalizing problems in girls and boys.

Social adjustment correlates of individual differences in receptive nonverbal processing abilities in boys and girls were investigated. Participants were 26 boys and 13 girls, mean age 12.04 years, who were in a custodial care institution for the treatment of a wide range of psychological difficulties. They completed the Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy (DANVA; Nowicki & Duke, 1994), a standardized test of receptive nonverbal processing abilities. Trained raters used institutional records to assess the number and type of problems (internalizing or externalizing) experienced by each child. Teachers completed a social adjustment scale for each child. Girls' scores on the DANVA tests of child facial expression, child and adult facial expression combined, posture, and total DANVA accuracy as well as teacher ratings of social adjustment were significantly related to the number of externalizing problems they had. No other relations were significant. The findings suggest that receptive nonverbal processing skills may be more important for social adjustment for girls than for boys.