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Black, Mexican American, and White Caregiver Practices to Prevent Challenging Behavior

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Abstract

Caregivers from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds perceive and work to prevent challenging behavior exhibited by their children with disabilities in various ways. However, limited research has been conducted with caregivers across racially and ethnically diverse groups, to explore the parenting practices and preventative strategies used with their young children with disabilities and challenging behavior. In this multimethod study, quantitative and qualitative data were collected from three racial and ethnic groups (i.e., Black, Mexican American, and White) to understand the participants’ parenting practices. Caregivers across groups shared similar experiences in implementing strategies that consistently prevented their children’s challenging behaviors. However, the perceived effectiveness of the strategies used by parents across racial and ethnic groups varied.

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Funding

This work was supported by Office of Special Education Programs, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, (Grant Nos. H325D189923, H325D150036)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Special Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1310 S. Sixth St., Champaign, IL, 61820, USA

    Melanie R. Martin, Hedda Meadan, Ban Haidar, Camille Griffin & Rebecca Folkerts

  2. School of Counselling and Special Education, Bowling Green State University, 451 Education Building, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA

    Stacy N. McGuire

  3. Department of Special Education, Early Childhood, and Prevention Science (SECP), University of Louisville, 1905 S. First St., Louisville, KY, 40292, USA

    Nicole B. Adams

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  1. Stacy N. McGuire
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  2. Melanie R. Martin
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  5. Ban Haidar
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Correspondence to Stacy N. McGuire.

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McGuire, S.N., Martin, M.R., Meadan, H. et al. Black, Mexican American, and White Caregiver Practices to Prevent Challenging Behavior. Early Childhood Educ J 51, 1441–1454 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-022-01403-5

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