Parenting and Youth Conduct Problems and Delinquency Reciprocal
Parenting and Youth Conduct Problems and Delinquency: Reciprocal Effects and Moderation by Callous-Unemotional Traits Luna C. Muñoz University of Central Lancashire, UK Research Methods Festival, Oxford, 2010
Importance of parenting Poor parenting n Conduct problems Efforts to change parents’ behaviours depend on this link
Some children may not respond Poor parenting Earlier Conduct problems
One size may not fit all
The some. . n Hawes & Dadds (2007) conducted parenttraining for young children’s conduct problems n They found that children whose conduct problems were accompanied by stably-high callous and unemotional traits improved but only temporarily
Callous-Unemotional Traits q q q q Is unconcerned about the feelings of others Doesn’t feel empathy Does not feel any emotions deeply Lacks fear or anxiety Lacks remorse or regret Sees emotions as a hindrance Emotions do not control his/her actions
Subtyping Antisocial Behavior in Children: Using Callous-Unemotional Traits n Conduct Disorder Childhood-onset Callous-Unemotional Traits Impulsive High Emotional Arousal/ Emotion Dysregulation
Callous-Unemotional Traits Conduct Problems CU More Severe Antisocial Behavior Conduct Problems
Conduct Problems with/without Callous-Unemotional Traits With Callous. Unemotional Traits
Origin of Conduct Problems n n n Parenting Strong emotional. P reactions er so Thoughts – that people's na actions are hostile ity Inattention/ Impulsivity/ l. Hyperactivity Cognitive ability – Intellectual deficits
These traits drive behavior n The research carried out tends to be conducted with the assumption that CU traits drive behavior with little input from the environment
Callous-Unemotional Traits are Largely Inherited n Twin studies of children who display antisocial behaviors (Viding et al. , 2005) q q Strong genetic influence was found for children with antisocial behaviors AND callous-unemotional traits Only modest genetic influence for children with antisocial behaviors but without callousunemotional traits
Conduct Problems ---Low CU Traits High CU Traits Ineffective Parenting
---Low CU Traits High CU Traits Earlier Poor parenting Earlier Conduct problems Later Poor parenting
Origin of Conduct Problems n n n Parenting Strong emotional. P reactions er so Thoughts – that people's na actions are hostile ity Inattention/ Impulsivity/ l. Hyperactivity Cognitive ability – Intellectual deficits
---Low CU Traits High CU Traits Earlier Poor parenting Later Conduct problems
Earlier ---Low CU Traits High CU Traits Poor parenting Later Conduct problems
Some evidence for reciprocal direction n Hawes & Dadds (2004) found that parents of children with CU q reported that time-out was less effective, when compared to those parents of children with high levels of conduct problems but with low levels of callous-unemotional traits
My argument. . . n n n A child’s lack of concern over punishment may be one reason why parents loosen control over their children Parents may give up trying when children are delinquent, but especially with children with callous-unemotional traits Examine bi-directionally!
Why longitudinal investigations? n Wohlwill (1973) and Kessen (1960) q q n We need to go beyond age-related descriptions We need to be able to clarify individual processes of development and change Cairns & Cairns (1994) q q Identify individual difference predictability Stability over time Rates and types of individual change Identify periods of greatest risk and possibility for greatest change
Parenting and Problem Behaviour: Callous-Unemotional Traits n n n 100 school children from a moderate-sized city from southeastern USA A stratified random sampling design was used to match the selected sample to the school sample on gender, ethnicity, and SES 76 children (mean age 13. 4 years at Time 1) provided data over three years Muñoz, Pakalniskiene, & Frick. Manuscript under review
Bidirectional effects one year later Low callous-unemotional n n More knowledge led to less control Control led to more knowlege Little effect No effect High callous-unemotional n n Less knowledge led to less control No effect Less knowledge led to more conduct problems More conduct problems led to less control Muñoz, Pakalniskiene, & Frick. Manuscript under review
Parenting Measures q Alabama Parenting Questionnaire: Monitoring and Supervision scale
Problem with monitoring measures n Many of the assessments being used assess what parents know about their children (i. e. , knowledge) rather than actions to gain knowledge (i. e. , monitoring)(Kerr & Stattin, 2000; Stattin & Kerr, 2000).
Problem with monitoring measures n Wootton and colleagues’ (1997) study asked about whether the child hung out with peers that were unknown to the parent. n Don’t know why q q Unsupervised because parents have been lax They disobey/ sneak out The latter is part of the child’s behavior
Parenting Measures n Parents’ Knowledge q n Parental Monitoring q n Alabama Parenting Questionnaire: Monitoring and Supervision scale Solicitation of information from child Parental Control q Parents’ demands that lead to knowledge
Conduct Problem Measures n Youth-report: q n Self-Report of Delinquency Scale (Elliott & Ageton, 1980) assesses the child’s self-report of 36 illegal juvenile acts. Parent-report: q q Behavioral Assessment System for Children. Parent Rating Scale (Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1992) Conduct Problems scale focuses on more covert conduct problems (e. g. , cheats in school, gets into trouble)
STABILITY OF PARENTING
Prediction of parenting from parenting Control . 27*** Knowledge
Prediction of parenting from parenting Lo=. 39*** Control Hi= -. 05 Knowledge
Prediction of parenting from parenting Lo= -. 20* Knowledge Hi=. 20 Control
Prediction of parenting from parenting Lo=. 30*** Solicitation Hi=. 07 Control
Stability differed by CU Lo=. 75*** Control Hi=. 41** Control
DO PARENTS AFFECT BEHAVIOUR? DIFFERING BY CU GROUPS
Parenting predicts behaviour Knowledge. 13/ -. 15* Solicitation -. 19*/ -. 04 Delinquency / Conduct Problem -. 01/ -. 03 Control Analyses are conducted while controlling for earlier CP
What parents know predicts changes in behaviour, especially for high CU Knowledge Lo= -. 13 Hi= -. 28* Solicitation Delinquency Control Analyses are conducted while controlling for earlier CP
DOES BEHAVIOUR AFFECT PARENTING? DIFFERING BY CU GROUPS
Problem behaviour leads to changes in what parents do Knowledge -. 13/. 01 Delinquency / Conduct Problems -. 01/ -. 06 Solicitation -. 26**/. 05 Control Analyses are conducted while controlling for earlier parenting
And is especially true for those with high levels of CU and who are delinquent Knowledge Solicitation Delinquency Lo= -. 10 Hi= -. 38** Control Analyses are conducted while controlling for earlier parenting
Implications for parental involvement n n n Parents reduce their control over time when their child shows delinquent behaviours, particularly when the child also has callous-unemotional traits. A reduction in control leads to a less effective management of child behaviour. Interventions need to encourage an intimate relationship between parent and child so that youths with callous-unemotional traits actively disclose information to their parents.
Earlier ---Low CU Traits High CU Traits Poor parenting Later Conduct problems
Conclusions n We were able to show that the relation between parenting and conduct problems can be a childeffect, which supports prior studies n Another explanation is that shared genetic effects explain child personality traits, conduct problems, and parents’ parenting (see Jaffee et al. , 2004)
Acknowledgments n My post-doctoral advisers: q q n Their superstar graduate student: q n Vilmante Pakalniskiene, now Dr. Vilma My Ph. D supervisor: q n Margaret Kerr Håkan Stattin Research Professor Paul Frick Very grateful to Neville Butler Memorial Prize
Future directions
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