Relationships among maternal characteristics, ratings of child behavior, and observed mother-child interactions were examined in a sample of 43 children with externalizing disorders. Mothers and children were observed in a structured task situation and mothers completed questionnaires concerning depressed mood, parenting sense of competence, marital satisfaction, social support, and life stress. Ratings of child behavior problems were obtained from both mothers and teachers. Several significant correlations were found between observed rates of maternal and child behavior, suggesting reciprocity in the mother-child interactions. Significant correlations among maternal self-reports were also found. For example, depressed mood was negatively correlated with marital satisfaction, sense of parenting competence, and social support, and positively correlated with life stress. Similarly, marital satisfaction and social support were inversely related to life stress. Few significant relationships were found between maternal characteristics and observed behavior. Surprisingly, maternal depressed mood was related to increased child compliance and decreased child independent activity. However, maternal depressed mood was positively related to mother ratings of internalizing child behavior problems. Mother and teacher ratings of child behavior showed few significant correlations with maternal self-reports or observed behavior. Multiple regression analyses revealed the importance of child age in predicting observed maternal and child behavior and confirmed the general lack of associations between maternal characteristics and observed behavior. Comparisons with previous research suggested the importance of sample characteristics in determining relationships between maternal characteristics and child behavior. Implications of the findings for the application of family systems models to the understanding of externalizing child disorders are discussed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-11, Section: B, page: 3417. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76173 |
| Contributors | JOHNSTON, CHARLOTTE JEWEL., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 142 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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