Assessing the Relative Influence of Parenting Style on Conduct Problem Subtypes in Clinic-Referred Young Children

• In Event: Poster Session 05
  In Poster Session: PS 05 Topic - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Abstract

Introduction: There is considerable heterogeneity in child conduct problems (CPs). Differentiating subtypes on the basis of internalising problems and/or callous-unemotional (CU) traits (i.e., low empathy/guilt, poor motivation, shallow/deficient affect) has advanced understanding of the developmental psychopathology of CPs and informed treatment efforts. Harsh and coercive parenting practices are associated with the development and maintenance of CPs in children low on CU traits, but less consistently for children high on CU traits for whom warm and positive parenting is more strongly associated with their CPs. Current interest in a secondary variant of CU trait shows high anxiety levels and high rates of dysfunctional parenting has potential to explain prior inconsistent findings. This study sought to advance understanding of the role of parental coercion and warmth, derived from Parental Five-Minute Speech-Samples (FMSS), in the development of CP subtypes differentiated on the basis of anxiety levels and CU traits.
Hypotheses & Statistical Plan: Our primary aim is to test whether mothers and fathers of young clinic-referred children with CPs, divided into subtypes on the basis of high and low anxiety levels and CU traits show differences in FMSS-coercion and warmth. It is hypothesised that FMSS-warmth will be lowest for the two groups of children high on CU traits relative to the low CU group. It is also hypothesised that FMSS-coercion will be highest for the two groups of children high on anxiety levels relative to the low-anxious primary CU group. We will test these hypotheses using ANCOVA covarying demographic variables (child age, sex, clinic).
Study Population: Data were collected from mothers and fathers of 152 young children (Mean age=3.68, SD=0.11, Range=2 to 7 years) referred to two clinics in Sydney, Australia for treatment of child conduct problems. Assessments were conducted at pre- and post-treatment and at a three-month follow-up. Data for the current study are from the pre-treatment assessment.
Methods: Parents completed questionnaires about their child’s conduct problem symptoms (Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory and Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children and Adolescents), CU traits (Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits), and internalising problems (Child Behavior Checklist). Parents also provided five-minute recorded speech-samples (FMSS) about their child and their relationship together. FMSS were qualitatively coded using the Family Affective Attitude Rating Scale coding system (FAARS; Bullock & Dishion, 2004) to measure parental coercion and warmth.
Feasibility: Data have been collected from 152 participating families. We have not yet analysed these data to test our hypotheses.
Implications: Findings have implications for enhancing understanding of the role of parenting factors in the development of conduct problem subtypes in young children. Findings have potential to inform the development of targeted interventions for these groups.

Authors

• Silvana Kaouar, University of New South Wales
  Presenting Author

• Eva R Kimonis, University of New South Wales
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ashneeta Prasad, University of New South Wales
  Non-Presenting Author

• Georgette Fleming, Parent-Child Research Clinic
  Non-Presenting Author

• Bryan Neo, University of New South Wales
  Non-Presenting Author

• David J Hawes, University of Sydney
  Non-Presenting Author

• Valsamma Eapen, University of New South Wales
  Non-Presenting Author