A defensive mindset: A pattern of social information processing that develops early and predicts life course outcomes |
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| Authors: | Kenneth A Dodge Yu Bai Jennifer Godwin Jennifer E Lansford John E Bates Gregory S Pettit Damon Jones |
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| Institution: | 1. Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA;2. Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA;3. Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA;4. Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA |
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| Abstract: | The hypothesis was tested that some children develop a defensive mindset that subsumes individual social information processing (SIP) steps, grows from early experiences, and guides long-term outcomes. In Study 1 (Fast Track FT]), 463 age-5 children (45% girls; 43% Black) were first assessed in 1991 and followed through age 32 (83% retention). In Study 2 (Child Development Project CDP]), 585 age-5 children (48% girls, 17% Black) were first assessed in 1987 and followed through age 34 (78% retention). In both studies, measures were collected of early adverse experiences, defensive mindset and SIP, and adult outcomes. Across both studies, a robust latent construct of school-age defensive mindset was validated empirically (comparative fit index = .99 in each study) and found to mediate the impact of early child abuse (38% in FT and 29% in CDP of total effect) and peer social rejection (14% in FT and 7% in CDP of total effect) on adult incarceration. |
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