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Results for “Behavioral problems”

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PubMed1995

Mother and teacher assessments of behavior problems in abused children.

OBJECTIVE: Mother and teacher ratings of behavior problems in abused and nonabused children were compared. The extent to which ratings were related to maternal depressive symptoms was examined. METHOD: The sample for this report consists of 172 elementary school-age abused children and a matched comparison group of 155 nonabused children. Maternal and teacher ratings of child behavior were obtained with the parent and teacher versions of the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist. Maternal depressive symptomatology was assessed with the CES-Depression Scale. RESULTS: Mothers and teachers rated abused children, both boys and girls, as having greater behavior problems than nonabused children, with abused boys having more problems than abused girls. Regardless of abuse status, there were no significant differences by rater. Maternal depressive symptomatology had independent effects on maternal ratings but was not related to teacher ratings. The combination of abuse and maternal depressed mood resulted in the greatest problems for children. Both raters reported greater problems in the clinical range for abused boys than for nonabused boys. Few differences were noted between abused and nonabused girls for clinical problems. CONCLUSIONS: Intervention strategies for abused children must address their behavioral problems and must consider the extent of depressive symptoms in the children's mothers.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Increase in child behavior problems resulting from maternal smoking during pregnancy.

In this article, the authors investigated the effect of maternal smoking during pregnancy on behavioral problems, which were not mediated by lower birth weight, in offspring at 3 y of age. The authors used the Child Behavior Checklist for ages 2-3 y (CBCL/2-3; Achenbach, Edelbrock and Howell) to assess behavioral problems in 1,377 2- to 3-y-old healthy twin pairs. Soon after the birth of twins, the authors collected pre- and perinatal information, including smoking habits of the mother during pregnancy. The question "Did you smoke during pregnancy?" could be answered by choosing one of three possible options: (1) never, (2) sometimes, or (3) regularly. The authors analyzed the effect of maternal smoking on the Child Behavioral Checklist total score and on several subscale scores for first- and second-born twins separately, and they adjusted for the possible confounding effects of birth weight, socioeconomic status, maternal age, and having been breast- or bottle-fed. There was a significant effect of maternal smoking on so-called externalizing behavior problems (oppositional, aggressive, overactive), but not on internalizing behavior problems (withdrawn, depressed, anxious), in both first- and second-born twins. The authors primarily attributed the enhanced externalizing problems to increased aggression. Although boys had higher externalizing (and aggression) scores than girls, the effect of maternal smoking was the same for boys and girls. The authors also discuss whether maternal smoking causes externalizing behavior problems.

Birth Weight↗

PubMed1997

Increased behavior problems associated with delayed school entry and delayed school progress.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether students who are old-for-grade have higher rates of reported behavior problems and to investigate whether this association is independent of having been retained a grade in school. METHODS: Cross-sectional analyses of parental reports from the nationally representative sample of 9079 children ages 7 to 17 years who participated in the Child Health Supplement to the 1988 National Health Interview Survey. Students older than the modal age for their grade were considered old-for-grade, either due to delayed school entry (those without grade retention) or to delayed school progress (with history of grade retention). Behavior problems were defined as scores >90th percentile on a well-utilized, standardized Behavior Problem Index (BPI). RESULTS: Twenty-six percent of 7- to 17-year-old children in the United States are old-for-grade. Being old-for-grade is more common in males (31%), blacks (33%), Hispanics (32%), those living in single-parent households (31%) or poverty (43%), and those with mothers with low educational attainment (42%). Most children (84%) who repeated a grade are old-for-grade, but only 54% of old-for-grade students have been retained. For children who were old-for-grade, 19% of those grade-retained and 12% of those nonretained had extreme BPI scores, and for those not old-for-grade, 17% of grade-retained and 7% of nonretained children had extreme BPI scores. Although rates of extreme BPI scores were consistently lower for children who were neither old-for-grade nor grade-retained, and consistently higher for those with both, these rates increased with age for children who were old-for-grade without being retained. Controlling for multiple potential confounders with logistic regression, both old-for-grade status and grade retention are independently associated with increased rates of behavior problems. Separate logistic regression analyses for blacks and whites showed that these findings pertained only to white children. CONCLUSIONS: Whereas grade retention is associated with increased rates of behavior problems in children and adolescents, simply being older than others in one's class, without having experienced grade retention, is also associated with increased rates of behavior problems, most noticeably among adolescents. These data suggest that there may be latent adverse behavioral outcomes that result from delaying children's school entry.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Relations among child language skills, maternal socialization of emotion regulation, and child behavior problems.

Research has linked language delays in young children to behavior problems and risk for psychopathology. We hypothesized that low language skill would affect normal socialization of emotion regulation, which in turn would affect the development of behavior problems. Seventy-eight mother/preschool-age child pairs participated in two mildly frustrating situations. Parents of children with low verbal comprehension used more unexplained compliance demands than other parents. Further, children whose parents used more unexplained compliance demands used fewer cognitive and distraction strategies, and more instrumental strategies. Children's use of physical self-comforting was positively related to overall, internalizing, and externalizing behavior problems. Findings supported the original hypothesis.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Parenting practices and child disruptive behavior problems in early elementary school. Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group.

Examined the hypothesis that distinct parenting practices may be associated with type and profile of a child's disruptive behavior problems (e.g., oppositional, aggressive, hyperactive). Parents of 631 behaviorally disruptive children described the extent to which they experienced warm and involved interactions with their children and the extent to which their discipline strategies were inconsistent and punitive and involved spanking and physical aggression. As expected from a developmental perspective, parenting practices that included punitive interactions were associated with elevated rates of all child disruptive behavior problems. Low levels of warm involvement were particularly characteristic of parents of children who showed elevated levels of oppositional behaviors. Physically aggressive parenting was linked more specifically with child aggression. In general, parenting practices contributed more to the prediction of oppositional and aggressive behavior problems than to hyperactive behavior problems, and parenting influences were fairly consistent across ethnic groups and sex.

Age Factors↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on child behavior problems at age 10.

This is a prospective study of the effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on child behavior problems at age 10. The sample consisted of low-income women attending a prenatal clinic. Half of the women were African-American and half were Caucasian. The majority of the women decreased their use of marijuana during pregnancy. The assessments of child behavior problems included the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Teacher's Report Form (TRF), and the Swanson, Noland, and Pelham (SNAP) checklist. Multiple and logistic regressions were employed to analyze the relations between marijuana use and behavior problems of the children, while controlling for the effects of other extraneous variables. Prenatal marijuana use was significantly related to increased hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention symptoms as measured by the SNAP, increased delinquency as measured by the CBCL, and increased delinquency and externalizing problems as measured by the TRF. The pathway between prenatal marijuana exposure and delinquency was mediated by the effects of marijuana exposure on inattention symptoms. These findings indicate that prenatal marijuana exposure has an effect on child behavior problems at age 10.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Adolescent problem behavior: the influence of parents and peers.

This paper presents evidence that the Patterson et al. (1992) model of development of antisocial behavior in children generalizes to the development of a wide array of problem behaviors during later adolescence and that youth antisocial behavior, high-risk sexual behavior, academic failure and substance use form a single problem behavior construct. Structural equation modeling methods were applied to 24-month longitudinal data from 204 adolescents and parents. The model fit the data well, accounting for 52% of the variance in adolescent problem behavior. Specifically, families experiencing high levels of conflict were more likely to have low levels of parent-child involvement. These family conditions were related to poor parental monitoring and association with deviant peers one year later. Poor parental monitoring and associations with deviant peers were strong proximal predictors of engagement in an array of problem behaviors at two-year follow-up.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1980

Prevalence of behavior problems in 3-year-old children. A cross-national replication.

The prevalence of behavior problems in three-year-old children in a rural American community was determined from the reports of mothers. A questionnaire based on a "symptom loading" approach to screening was used. This method was previously used in an epidemiological study of behavior problems in 3-year-olds in London. The present study estimated the prevalence of behavior problems to be slightly less compared with the best estimate in the London study. As in the London study, social class and sex differences were not found to relate significantly to the presence of behavior problems. There were also similarities in the prevalence of individual behavioral items on the questionnaire. A simple parent questionnaire worked as well in a population with different demographic features as it did in the population for which it was originally designed.

Child Behavior Disorders↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Behavior problems among children from different family structures: the influence of genetic self-selection.

To examine both genetic and environmental influences on children's behavior problems in households defined by marital status and sibling relatedness, this study applied behavioral genetic methodology to four groups totalling 1524 sibling pairs drawn from 796 households: (1) two-parent full siblings, (2) two-parent half siblings, (3) mother-only full siblings, and (4) mother-only half siblings. Model-fitting procedures found that within-group variation on four subscales from the Behavior Problems Index was best explained by a model including both genetic and shared environmental factors. This model was then fit to the behavior problems means of the four groups. Its successful fit to these mean structures suggested that mean-level differences between groups were explained with the same influences that accounted for within-group variation. Genetic influences accounted for 81% to 94% of the mean-level difference in behavior problems between the two-parent, full sibling and the mother-only, half sibling groups. In contrast, shared environmental influences accounted for 67% to 88% of the mean-level difference in behavior problems between the two-parent, full sibling and mother-only, full sibling groups. The genetic influences are interpreted in terms of genetic self-selection into family structures.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1983

Parental characteristics and interactional dysfunction in families with child behavior problems: a preliminary investigation.

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.

Aggression↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Child behavior problems increased by maternal smoking during pregnancy.

We investigated the effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy on behavioral problems (i.e., not mediated by low birth weight) in 3-y-old offspring. We assessed behavioral problems in 1377 2- to 3-y-old twin pairs (registered in the Netherlands Twin Register) with the Child Behavior Checklist for ages 2-3 y (CBCL/2-3) from Achenbach, Edelbrock, and Howell. Two to 3 y earlier (i.e., soon after the birth of the twins) we collected information about the smoking habits (i.e., "never," "sometimes," and "regularly") of the mother during pregnancy. We analyzed the effect of maternal smoking on the CBCL total score and on several subscale scores for first- and second-born twins separately, and we adjusted for the possible confounding effects of birth weight, socioeconomic status, maternal age, and type of feeding (i.e., breast or bottle fed). There was a significant effect of maternal smoking on so-called "externalizing" behavioral problems (e.g., oppositional, aggressive, overactive), but not on "internalizing" behavioral problems (e.g., withdrawn, depressed, anxious), in both first- and second-born twins. The enhanced "externalizing" problems were attributed predominantly to increased aggression. Although boys have higher externalizing and aggression scores than girls, the effect of maternal smoking was the same for boys and girls.

Child Behavior Disorders↗

PubMed1985

Behavior problems and social competence in girls with true precocious puberty.

We report a controlled standardized behavioral assessment of 33 girls with true precocious puberty using the Child Behavior Checklist. Although a majority of the girls were reported not to have behavior problems, many were reported to have a dysphoric adjustment to their condition. Twenty-seven percent of the girls with true precocious puberty scored greater than 2 SD above the mean on the Total Behavior Problem scale 10 times the expected prevalence rate. They also scored significantly higher (P less than 0.01) than matched controls on both the internalizing or "overcontrolled symptom" and externalizing or "undercontrolled symptom" scales. Forty-eight percent scored greater than 2 SD above the mean on the Social Withdrawal scale. The high prevalence of reported problem behaviors in this sample may be related directly or indirectly to the precocious maturation mediated by biologic, psychologic, social, and environmental variables. Although elevated levels of sex steroids may directly contribute to increased aggressive and hyperactive behaviors, they may also be modified by social and environmental factors.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1995

Behavioral problems and severity of tics.

This study examined the incidence of behavioral symptoms in youngsters with tic disorders. A total of 186 patients were studied using the Child Behavior Checklist and a Motor/Vocal Tic Severity Scale. The relationship between tic severity and the frequency of behavioral symptoms was found to be not simply linear, but influenced by the presence of patients without significant behavioral problems in spite of severe tics (resilient patients) and patients with very negative adjustment although their tic disorder was mild (vulnerable patients). Behavioral problems were not related to age. Patients who were receiving medication showed behavioral problems of different severity from those who were not receiving such agents; this result emphasizes the need for future studies to consider carefully the effects of medication.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Measuring problem behaviors in dementia: developing a methodological agenda.

As many as 90% of persons with dementing illness demonstrate problem behaviors that range from repetitive verbalizations, agitation, and wandering to verbal and physical aggression toward self and others. Reliable and accurate measurement of these behaviors is crucial for tracking illness progression; for monitoring the effects of pharmacologic and behavioral interventions; and for continued investigation into the correlates of caregiver stress, burden, and coping. However, there is no single, universally accepted measure or methodology for operationalizing problem behaviors, and variations in definition and measurement across studies complicate drawing meaningful conclusions about these behaviors. This article is an overview of five factors that have complicated accurate and dependable measurement of problem behaviors in dementia: the shifting domain of problem behaviors, slippage across research constructs, unexplored rater bias, scoring bias, and the absence of benchmarking studies. A methodological agenda is discussed for future investigations in this rapidly growing area of gerontological research.

Behavior↗

PubMed1996

Resilience and vulnerability among preschool children: family functioning, temperament, and behavior problems.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of child temperament and stressful family functioning on child behavior problems among preschool children. METHOD: One hundred forty-five preschool children, aged 2 to 5 years, were evaluated by teachers, mothers, and independent observers. Teachers reported on child temperament; from these ratings, two dimensions of temperament were derived: difficult/easy and approachability. Mothers reported on two dimensions of family functioning: conflict and expressiveness. Both teachers and independent observers rated child behavior problems. RESULTS: Children with more difficult temperaments who were in high-conflict families had the most internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, while children with easy temperaments had fewer such problems, regardless of levels of family conflict. Difficult children whose families were highly expressive engaged in the most observed aggression. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that temperament is involved in both protective and vulnerability processes. A difficult temperament operates as a vulnerability factor for internalizing and externalizing behavior problems and observed aggression, while an easy temperament functions as a protective mechanism for these outcomes.

Child Behavior Disorders↗

PubMed1997

Timing of paternal substance use disorder cessation and effects on problem behaviors in sons.

The developmental timing of paternal substance use disorder (SUD) offset on internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors was examined in prepubertal sons. Analyses revealed a significant main effect of the developmental timing of SUD offset on both internalizing and externalizing problems. No differences were found between sons of control-subject fathers and SUD+ fathers whose offsets occurred before the son's sixth birthday. However, when paternal SUD extended beyond the boys' sixth year, significant increases in internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors were found. The results suggest the importance of early parental SUD intervention in prevention of the intergenerational transmission of behavioral problems.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1999

Development of adolescent problem behavior.

The developmental model of adolescent antisocial behavior advanced by Patterson and colleagues (e.g., Patterson, Reid, & Dishion, 1992) appears to generalize the development of a diverse set of problem behaviors. Structural equation modeling methods were applied to 18-month longitudinal data from 523 adolescents. The problem behavior construct included substance use, antisocial behavior, academic failure, and risky sexual behavior. Families with high levels of conflict were less likely to have high levels of parent-child involvement. Such family conditions resulted in less adequate parental monitoring of adolescent behavior, making associations with deviant peers more likely. Poor parental monitoring and associations with deviant peers were strong predictors of engagement in problem behavior. These constructs accounted for 46% of the variance in problem behavior. Although association with deviant peers was the most proximal social influence on problem behavior, parental monitoring and family factors (conflict and involvement) were key parenting practices that influenced this developmental process.

Achievement↗

PubMed1991

The difficult temperament in adolescence: associations with substance use, family support, and problem behaviors.

This study investigated interrelations between the number of difficult temperament factors (e.g., arrhythmicity, inflexibility, high distractibility) and substance use, perceived family support, and problem behaviors for a sample of 297 adolescents (M age = 15.7 years). The number of adolescent difficult temperament factors was associated significantly with more childhood behavior problems (e.g., hyperactivity, conduct disordered symptoms), which suggests some continuity of disordered behavior from childhood to adolescence. Number of adolescent difficult temperament factors also was associated with a higher percentage of substance users (for cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, hard drugs), lower perceived family support, higher levels of depressive symptoms, and more delinquent activity. Number of difficult temperament factors was not associated significantly with gender or age of respondents.

Adolescent↗