Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Can Emotional Language Skills be Taught During Parent Training for Conduct Problem Children?

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Child Psychiatry and Human Development Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

To assess the effectiveness of providing training in elaborative, emotion rich reminiscing (emotional reminiscing, ER) as an adjunct to Parent Management Training (PMT) for parents of children (N = 38, M age = 56.9, SD = 15.8 months) with oppositional behaviors. Control parents received PMT and non-language adjunct intervention, child-directed play. All components of the intervention were manualized. Parents in both conditions received training in an abbreviated course of PMT. Parents in the ER condition additionally received brief training in discussing everyday past events with their child incorporating emotion labels and causes, “wh” questions, and detailed descriptive information. Parents in the control condition received training in allowing their child to lead during play sessions. Across both conditions, children’s oppositional behaviors decreased between the beginning and end of training. Providing parents with training parents in an elaborative, emotion-rich reminiscing style resulted in greater parent and child use of elaborations and emotion references during shared conversations. Given findings in the literature of an association between parental emotion talk and children’s emotional competence, developmental skills that are frequently compromised in oppositional children, the current pilot study has implications for interventions that broaden the focus of PMT.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Blair C, Diamond A (2008) Biological processes in prevention and intervention: the promotion of self-regulation as a means of preventing school failure. Dev Psychopathol 20:899–911. doi:10.1017/S0954579408000436

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Cole PM, Teti LO, Zahn-Waxler C (2003) Mutual emotion regulation and the stability of conduct problems between preschool and early school age. Dev Psychopathol 15:1–18. doi:10.1017/S0954579403000014

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Dadds MR, Perry Y, Hawes DJ, Merz S, Riddell AC, Haines DJ, Solak E, Abeygunawardane AI (2006) Attention to the eyes and fear-recognition deficits in child psychopathy. Br J Psychiatry 189:280–281. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.105.018150

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Lochman JE, Whidby JM, FitzGerald DP (2000) Cognitive-behavioral assessment and treatment with aggressive children. In: Kendall PC (ed) Child and adolescent therapy: cognitive-behaviorial procedures, 2nd edn. Guilford Press, New York, pp 31–87

    Google Scholar 

  5. Izard CE (2002) Translating emotion theory and research into preventive interventions. Psychol Bull 128:796–824. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.128.5.796

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Southam-Gerow MA, Kendall PC (2002) Emotion regulation and understanding: implications for child psychopathology and therapy. Clin Psychol Rev 22:189–222. doi:10.1016/S0272-7358(01)00087-3

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Suveg C, Southam-Gerow MA, Goodman KL, Kendall PC (2007) The role of emotion theory and research in child therapy development. Clin Psych Sci Prog 14:358–371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Denham SA, Caverly S, Schmidt M, Blair K, DeMulder E, Caal S, Hamada H, Mason T (2002) Preschool understanding of emotions: contributions to classroom anger and aggression. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 43:901–916. doi:10.1111/1469-7610.00139

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Greenberg MT (2007) Commentary on “the role of emotion theory and research in child therapy development”. Clin Psych. Sci Prog 14:372–376

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Harris PL, de Rosnay M, Pons F (2005) Language and children’s understanding of mental states. Curr Dir Psychol Sci 14:69–73. doi:10.1111/j.0963-7214.2005.00337.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Dunn J, Brown J, Beardsall L (1991) Family talk about feeling states and children’s later understanding of others’ emotions. Dev Psychol 27:448–455. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.27.3.448

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Halberstadt AG, Denham SA, Dunsmore JC (2001) Affective social competence. Soc Dev 10:79–119. doi:10.1111/1467-9507.00150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Pons F, Harris PL, de Rosnay M (2004) Emotion comprehension between 3 and 11 years: developmental periods and hierarchical organisation. Eur J Dev Psychol 1:127–152. doi:10.1080/17405620344000022

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Denham SA, Blair KA, DeMulder E, Levitas J, Sawyer K, Auerbach-Major S, Queenan P (2003) Preschool emotional competence: pathway to social competence? Child Dev 74:238–256. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00533

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Schultz D, Izard CE, Bear G (2004) Children’s emotion processing: relations to emotionality and aggression. Dev Psychopathol 16:371–387. doi:10.1017/S0954579404044566

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Thompson RA, Meyer S (2007) Socialization of emotion regulation in the family. In: Gross JJ (ed) Handbook of emotion regulation. Guilford, New York, pp 249–268

    Google Scholar 

  17. Brown JR, Dunn J (1996) Continuities in emotion understanding from three to six years. Child Dev 67:789–802. doi:10.2307/1131861

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Fivush R, Haden C, Reese E (2006) Elaborating on elaborations: the role of maternal reminiscing style in cognitive and socioemotional development. Child Dev 77:1568–1588. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2006.00960.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Wareham P, Salmon K (2006) Mother–child reminiscing about everyday experiences: implications for clinical interventions in the preschool years. Clin Psychol Rev 26:535–554. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2006.05.001

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Laible D (2004) Mother–child discourse surrounding a child’s past behavior at 30 months: links to emotional understanding and early conscience development at 36 months. Merrill-Palmer Q 50:159–181. doi:10.1353/mpq.2004.0013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Laible D (2004) Mother–child discourse in two contexts: links with child temperament, attachment security, and socioemotional competence. Dev Psychol 40:979–992. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.40.6.979

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Laible D, Song J (2006) Constructing emotional and relational understanding: the roles of affect and mother–child discourse. Merrill-Palmer Q 52:44–69. doi:10.1353/mpq.2006.0006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Pons F, Lawson J, Harris PL, de Rosnay M (2003) Individual differences in children’s emotion understanding: effects of age and language. Scand J Psychol 44:347–353. doi:10.1111/1467-9450.00354

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Denham SA, Burton R (2003) Social and emotional prevention and intervention programming for preschoolers. Kluwer/Plenum, New York

    Google Scholar 

  25. Fivush R, Brotman M, Buckner JP, Goodman SH (2000) Gender differences in parent–child emotion narratives. Sex Roles 42:233–253. doi:10.1023/A:1007091207068

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Reese E, Newcombe R (2007) Training mothers in elaborative reminiscing enhances children’s autobiographical memory and narrative. Child Dev 78:1153–1170. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.01058.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Peterson C, Jesso B, McCabe A (1999) Encouraging narratives in preschoolers: an intervention study. J Child Lang 26:49–67. doi:10.1017/S0305000998003651

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Van Bergen P, Salmon K, Dadds MR, Allen J (2009) The effects of parent training in emotion-rich, elaborative reminiscing on children’s shared recall and emotion knowledge. J Cogn Dev (in press)

  29. Brestan EV, Eyberg SM (1998) Effective psychosocial treatments of conduct-disordered children and adolescents: 29 years, 82 studies, and 5,272 kids. J Clin Child Psychol 27:180–189. doi:10.1207/s15374424jccp2702_5

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Nock MK (2003) Progress review of the psychosocial treatment of child conduct problems. Clin Psych. Sci Prog 10:1–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Sanders MR, Bor W, Morawska A (2007) Maintenance of treatment gains: a comparison of enhanced, standard, and self-directed triple P-positive parenting program. J Abnorm Child Psychol 35:983–998. doi:10.1007/s10802-007-9148-x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Taylor TK, Biglan A (1998) Behavioral family interventions for improving child-rearing: a review of the literature for clinicians and policy makers. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 1:41–60. doi:10.1023/A:1021848315541

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Kaminski JW, Valle LA, Filene JH, Boyle CL (2008) A meta-analytic review of components associated with parent training program effectiveness. J Abnorm Child Psychol 36:567–589. doi:10.1007/s10802-007-9201-9

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Kotler J, McMahon RS (2004) Compliance and noncompliance in anxious, aggressive, and socially competent children: the impact of the “child’s game” on child and maternal behavior. Behav Ther 35:495–512. doi:10.1016/S0005-7894(04)80029-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Holland D, Dadds MR (1997) The diagnostic interview schedule for children, adolescents, and parents. Griffith University, Brisbane

    Google Scholar 

  36. Association AmericanPsychiatric (1994) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edn. American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  37. Johnson S, Barrett PM, Dadds MR, Fox T, Shortt A (1999) The diagnostic interview schedule for children, adolescents, and parents: initial reliability and validity data. Behav Change 16:155–164. doi:10.1375/bech.16.3.155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Hawes DJ, Dadds MR (2005) The treatment of conduct problems in children with callous-unemotional traits. J Consult Clin Psychol 73:737–741. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.73.4.737

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Dadds MR, Fraser J, Frost A, Hawes DJ (2005) Disentangling the underlying dimensions of psychopathy and conduct problems in childhood: a community study. J Consult Clin Psychol 73:400–410. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.73.3.400

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Zimmerman IL, Steiner VG, Pond RE (2002) Preschool language scale, 4th edn. The Psychological Corporation, San Antonio, TX

    Google Scholar 

  41. Zimmerman IL, Castilleja NF (2005) The role of a language scale for infant and preschool assessment. Ment Retard Dev D R 11:238–246. doi:10.1002/mrdd.20078

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Reese E, Haden C, Fivush R (1993) Mother–child conversations about the past: relationships of style and memory over time. Cogn Dev 8:403–430. doi:10.1016/S0885-2014(05)80002-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. McGuigan F, Salmon K (2004) The time to talk: the influence of adult–child talk on children’s event memory. Child Dev 75:669–678. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2004.00700.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Reese E, Brown N (2000) Reminiscing and recounting the preschool years. Appl Cogn Psychol 14:1–17. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1099-0720(200001)14:1<1::AID-ACP625>3.0.CO;2-G

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Dadds MR, Hawes DJ (2006) Integrated family intervention for child conduct problems: a behavior-attachment-systems intervention for parents. Australian Academic Press, Brisbane

    Google Scholar 

  46. Trentacosta CJ, Izard CE (2007) Kindergarten children’s emotion competence as a predictor of their academic competence in first grade. Emotion 7:77–88. doi:10.1037/1528-3542.7.1.77

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Fivush R, Berlin LJ, McDermott Sales J, Mennuti-Washburn J, Cassidy J (2003) Functions of parent–child reminiscing about emotionally negative events. Memory 11:179–192. doi:10.1080/741938209

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Pillemer DB (2003) Directive functions of autobiographical memory: the guiding power of the specific episode. Memory 11:193–202. doi:10.1080/741938208

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Katz L, Windecker-Nelson B (2004) Parental meta-emotion philosophy in families with conduct-problem children: links with peer relations. J Abnorm Child Psychol 32:385–398. doi:10.1023/B:JACP.0000030292.36168.30

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Ramsden SR, Hubbard JA (2002) Family expressiveness and parental emotion coaching: their role in children’s emotion regulation and aggression. J Abnorm Child Psychol 30:657–667. doi:10.1023/A:1020819915881

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Karen Salmon, Mark R. Dadds, Jennifer Allen, and David J Hawes, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney. This project was funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant (DP0450605) awarded to Karen Salmon and Mark R. Dadds. The Australian Rotary Health Research Fund provided post-doctoral funding for David J. Hawes. We thank the families who participated in the intervention and in developing the training materials and the clinical psychologists who conducted assessments and interventions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Karen Salmon, Mark R. Dadds, Jennifer Allen & David J. Hawes

  2. University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    David J. Hawes

  3. School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand

    Karen Salmon

Authors
  1. Karen Salmon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mark R. Dadds
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jennifer Allen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. David J. Hawes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karen Salmon.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Salmon, K., Dadds, M.R., Allen, J. et al. Can Emotional Language Skills be Taught During Parent Training for Conduct Problem Children?. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 40, 485–498 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-009-0139-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-009-0139-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation