Which of the following teenagers most likely has an externalizing problem?

• A. A 14-year-old who is very quiet in class and rarely participates in group activities.
• B. A 16-year-old who feels sad and withdrawn, preferring to be alone.
• C. A 17-year-old who is anxious about social situations and avoids talking to peers.
• D. A 15-year-old who frequently gets into physical fights at school and breaks rules.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of externalizing problems in psychology. Externalizing problems refer to behaviors that are directed outwardly and often involve acting out, such as aggression, rule-breaking, and disruptive behaviors.
2. Step 2: Review each teenager's description and identify behaviors that fit the externalizing problem criteria. Look for signs like physical fights, rule-breaking, or other outwardly directed disruptive actions.
3. Step 3: Compare the behaviors of the teenagers: the quiet and withdrawn ones likely show internalizing problems (e.g., anxiety, depression), which are directed inwardly rather than outwardly.
4. Step 4: Recognize that the 15-year-old who frequently gets into physical fights and breaks rules exhibits classic externalizing behaviors, making this teenager the most likely to have an externalizing problem.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct answer is the teenager with outwardly aggressive and rule-breaking behavior, as these are hallmark signs of externalizing problems.