Abstract
Thirty-six families with a preteenage behavior problem child were assessed on measures of marital discord, parental psychopathology, and three parental cognitive factors: knowledge of behavioral principles, tolerance for child deviancy, and expectations regarding their child's behavior. Nine nonproblem families with demographic characteristics similar to the problem families were also assessed. Correlational analyses across all families revealed a strong association between marital discord and the parental index of child behavior problems. While a number of significant associations were discovered between the various measures of marital discord, parental psychopathology, and parental cognitive factors, no other measure besides marital discord was associated with parental perception of child behavior problems. The nonproblem families and 15 of the problem families also participated in home observations obtained through random audio recordings during high interaction periods. These observational data indicated a significant relationship between parental perception of child behavior problems and parental negative behavior toward the child, but no significant relationship between parental perception of child behavior problems and child behavior, even when child behavior was weighted by parents' reactions to that behavior. Through sequential analysis, several contingent relations between parent and child behavior were discovered. Findings are discussed in relation to family systems theory.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arnold, J. E., Levine, A. G., & Patterson, G. R. Changes in sibling behavior following family intervention.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1975,43, 683–688.
Barnard, K. E., & Powell, M. L.Teaching the mentally retarded child: A family care approach. St. Louis: C. V. Mosby, 1972.
Becker, W. C. The relationship of factors in parental ratings of self and each other to the behavior of kindergarten children as rated by mothers, fathers, and teachers.Journal of Consulting Psychology, 1960,24, 507–527.
Boszormenyi-Nagy, I., & Ulrich, D. N. Contextual family therapy. In A. S. Gurman & D. P. Kniskern (Eds.),Handbook of family therapy. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1981.
Christensen, A., Johnson, S. M., Phillips, S., & Glasgow, R. E. Cost effectiveness in behavioral family therapy.Behavior Therapy, 1980,11, 208–226.
Christensen, A., & Hazzard, A. Reactive effects during naturalistic observation of families.Behavioral Assessment, in press.
Doll, E.The Vineland social maturity scale. Minneapolis: Educational Test Bureau, 1947.
Emery, R. E. Marital turmoil: Interparental conflict and the children of discord and divorce,Psychological Bulletin, 1982,92, 310–330.
Forehand, R., King, H. E., Peed, S., & Yoder, P. Mother-child interactions: Comparisons of a non-compliant clinic group and a non-clinic group.Behavior Research and Therapy, 1975,13, 79–84.
Framo, J. L. Personal reflections of a family therapist.Journal of Marriage and Family Counseling, 1975,1, 1–22.
Griest, D. L., Forehand, R., Wells, K. C, & McMahon, R. J. An examination of differences between nonclinic and behavior-problem clinic-referred children and their mothers.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1980,89, 497–500.
Griest, D. L., Wells, K. C, & Forehand, R. An examination of predictors of maternal perceptions of maladjustment in clinic-referred children.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1979,88, 277–281.
Johnson, S. M., & Lobitz, G. K. The personal and marital adjustment of parents as related to observed child deviance and parenting behaviors.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 1974,2, 193–207.
Lanyon, R. I. Developmental and validation of a psychological screening inventory.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Monograph, 1970,35, 1–24.
Lobitz, G. K., & Johnson, S. M. Normal versus deviant children: A multimethod comparison.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 1975,3, 353–374.
Locke, H. J., & Wallace, K. M. Short marital and adjustment tests: Their reliability and validity.Marriage and Family Living, 1959,21, 251–255.
Margolin, G. The reciprocal relationship between marital and child problems. In J. P. Vincent (Ed.),Advances in family intervention, assessment, and theory; A research annual. Greenwich, Connecticut: JAI Press, 1981.
Patterson, G. R.Coercive family process: A social learning approach. Volume 3. Eugene, Oregon: Castalia, 1982.
Rickard, K. M., Forehand, R., Wells, K. C., Griest, D. L., & McMahon, R. J. Factors in the referral of children for behavioral treatment: A comparison of mothers of clinic-referred deviant, clinic-referred non-deviant and non-clinic children.Behavior Research and Therapy, 1981,19, 201–205.
Weiss, R. L., & Cerreto, M. C. The marital status inventory: Development of a measure of dissolution potential.American Journal of Family Therapy, 1980,8, 80–85.
Zung, W. W. K. From art to science.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1973,29, 328–337.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health to the first author (MH 32616) and to the last author (MH 19633 and MH 25298). The authors wish to thank Gary Craig, Bill Jones, and Stuart Levine for their excellent computer programming and Denise Gehrling and Claudia Kaplan for their assistance with data analysis.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Christensen, A., Phillips, S., Glasgow, R.E. et al. Parental characteristics and interactional dysfunction in families with child behavior problems: A preliminary investigation. J Abnorm Child Psychol 11, 153–166 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00912185
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00912185