The predictive role of ego-resiliency on behavioural problems

This study examined the longitudinal relations of participants’ self-reported ego-resiliency to internalize and externalize behavioural problems during the early adulthood. Participants were divided in two cohorts: 144 young adults (59.7% of females; mean age of 20 years at Time 1—T1 and 28 years at Time 3) were included in the first cohort and 119 young adults (48.7% of females; mean age of 21 years at T1 and 29 years at Time 4) were included in the second cohort. In a panel structural equation model controlling for stability of the constructs, we found that ego-resiliency predicted internalizing problems, and near significantly predicted externalizing problems, during the period of young adulthood. The posited conceptual model accounted for a significant portion of variance in the considered variables and has implications for interventions designed to promote and sustain ego-resiliency to counteract behavioural problems.