Parent-child relationships, peer functioning, and preschool hyperactivity

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to examine the parent-child relationships and peer functioning of community-identified, 4-year-old boys with hyperactive behaviour problems. The sample consisted of 33 pervasively hyperactive boys and 34 control children. Parenting and child behaviours, and family life factors were assessed at home using a range of measures including the Parental Account of Children's Symptoms Interview (PACS), the Parenting Scale, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and the Life Events Questionnaire. In addition, maternal directiveness and synchrony were coded from videotaped parent-child interaction during free play. Children's peer relations were assessed with teacher ratings on the Child Behavior Scale (CBS) and observer ratings of peer interactions at kindergarten. Results showed that parents of hyperactive boys used less effective parenting skills in disciplinary situations and in coping with child behaviour problems, and spent less time in positive parent-child interaction than comparison group parents. Mothers of hyperactive boys also engaged in fewer synchronous play interactions with their sons and gave more negative ratings on indices of life stress. Poor parent coping, father-child communication, maternal synchrony, negative disciplinary practices, and life stress were significantly associated with hyperactivity after adjusting for the effects of conduct problems. The best parenting predictor of hyperactivity was maternal coping. Compared with control children, the hyperactive boys received significantly higher ratings on exclusion by peers, aggressive, noncompliant, and non-social behaviours, as well as significantly lower ratings of prosocial behaviour and peer acceptance. These between-group differences in social functioning remained significant after statistical control for the effects of conduct problems. Further analysis suggested that the associations between hyperactivity and child social behaviours were partly or wholly explained by group differences in exposure to parenting behaviours that are important for children's social development. These findings highlight the need to examine more closely the role of parenting behaviours in shaping the course, prognosis and treatment outcomes in relation to the behavioural and social adjustment of preschool hyperactive children. The implications of these findings for early childhood intervention in hyperactive behaviour problems are discussed.