The influence of maternal stress and distress on disruptive behavior problems in boys.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
OBJECTIVE: The current study examined how self-reported maternal stress and distress are associated with child disruptive behaviors. METHOD: Mother and teacher ratings of child disruptive behavior problems (attention problems, aggression, and delinquency) were collected for 215 male participants, ranging in age from 9 to 12 years. Participating mothers also provided self-report data on socioeconomic status (SES), parenting stress, and distress (depression and anxiety/somatization). RESULTS: Low SES was significantly associated with both mother- and teacher-reported child disruptive behavior problems. Regression analyses indicated a relation between parenting stress and mother-reported child disruptive behavior problems, even when controlling for SES. Results also indicated a significant relation between maternal distress and mother-reported child disruptive behavior problems (particularly attention problems), even when controlling for SES and parenting stress. Maternal stress and distress were not significantly related to teacher-reported child disruptive behavior problems. CONCLUSIONS: Although the lack of an association between teacher-reported behavior problems and maternal stress and distress could be interpreted as a rater bias by these mothers, it may be that the mothers' symptoms are associated with a stressful home environment, thus exacerbating child disruptive behavior problems and eventually leading to a reciprocal relation between symptomatology in mothers and children.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Barry, TD; Dunlap, ST; Cotten, SJ; Lochman, JE; Wells, KC
Published Date
- March 2005
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 44 / 3
Start / End Page
- 265 - 273
PubMed ID
- 15725971
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0890-8567
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1097/00004583-200503000-00011
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States