The authors examined childrearing discussions in 14 couples with nonproblem children (NO), 14 couples with ADHD children with relatively little aggressive-defiant behavior (ADHD-LAD), and 14 couples with ADHD children with more aggressive-defiant behavior (ADHD-HAD). Discussions foucsed on attention deficit, oppositional, and conduct problem child behaviors. Couples' discussions were coded for the childrearing strategies suggested and the communication style. The groups did not differ in their suggested strategies, although more punishing responses were elicited by conduct problems and more proactive, preventive strategies by attention deficit behaviors. Couples in both ADHD groups were less positive in discussions of all behaviors and more negative in discussions of conduct problems than the NO couples. Couples with aggressize-defiant ADHD children were more negative than either the NO or ADHD-LAD group in disuccsions of ADHD behaviors. The implications for understanding interactions in families of ADHD children are discussed, as are suggestions for interventions designed to enhance couples' collaborative childrearing efforts.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Achenbach, T.M., & Edelbrock, C. (1983). Manual for the Child Behavior Checklist. Burlington, VT: University of Vermont, Department of Psychiatry.
2.
American Psychiatric Association. (1987). Diagtiostic and statistical mamal of mental disorders (3rd ed., rev.). Washington, DC: Author.
3.
Barkley, R.A. (1990). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. New York: Guilford.
4.
Barkley, R.A., Karlsson, J. & Pollard, S. (1985). Effects of age on the mother-child interactions of ADD-H and normal boys. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology , 13, 631-638.
5.
Baumrind, D. (1971). Current patterns of parental authority. Developmental Psychology Monographs, 4 (1, Pt. 2).
6.
Biederman, J., Faraone, S.V., Keenan, K., Knee, D., & Tsuang, M.T. (1990). Family-genetic and psychosocial risk factors in DSM-III attention deficit disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 29, 526-533.
7.
Campbell, S.B. (1973). Mother-child interactions in reflective, impulsive, and hyperactive children. Developmental Psychology, 8, 341-349.
8.
Cunningham, C.E. (1990). A family systems approach to parent training. In R.A. Barkley (Ed.), Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (pp. 432-461). New York: Guilford.
9.
Cunningham, C.E., & Barkley, R.A. (1979). The interactions of normal and hyperactive children and their mothers in free play and structured task. Child Development, 50, 217-224.
10.
Cunningham, C.E., Benness, B.B., & Siegel, L.S. (1988). Family functioning, time allocation, and parental depression in the families of normal and ADD-H children. Journal of Clinical Child Psyhology, 17, 169-177.
11.
Dadds, M.R., & Powell, M.B. (1991). The relationship of interparental conflict and global marital adjustment to aggression, anxiety, and immaturity in aggressive and nonclinic children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology , 19, 553-568.
12.
Dadds, M.R., Schwartz, S., & Sanders, M.R. (1987). Marital discord and treatment outcome in behavioral t eatment of child conduct disorders. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 396-403.
13.
Gable, S., Belsky, J., Crnic, K. (1992). Marriage, parenting, and child development. Journal of Family Psychology, 5, 276-294.
Grusec, J.E., & Kuczynski, L. (1980). Direction of effect in socialization: A comparison of the parents' versus child's behavior as determinants of discipline techniques . Developmental Psychology, 16, 1-9.
16.
Hinshaw, S.T. (1987). On the distinction between attentional deficits/hyperactivity and conduct problems/aggression in child psychopathology. Psychological Bulletin, 101, 443-463.
Johnston, C. (1992a). Addressing parent cognitions in interventions with families of children with disruptive behavior. Manuscript submitted for publication.
19.
Johnston C. (1992b). Child-rearing discussions in families with disruptive and nonproblem children. Manuscript submitted for publication.
20.
Johnston, C., Patenaude, R., & Inman, G. (1992). Causal attributions for hyperactive and aggressive child behaviors. Social Cognition, 10, 255-270.
21.
Johnston, C. & Pelham, W.E. (1986). Teacher ratings predict peer ratings of aggression at 3-year follow-up in boys with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity . Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 571-572.
22.
Jouriles, E.N., Murphy, C.M., Farris, A.M., Smith, D.A., Richters, J.E., & Waters, E. (1991). Marital adjustment, parental disagreements about childrearing, and boys' behavior: Increasing the specificity of marital assessment . Child Development, 62, 1424-1433.
23.
Kazdin, A.E. (1987). Treatment of antisocial behavior in children: Current status and future directions. Psychological Bulletin , 102, 187-203.
24.
Lahey, B.B., Piacentini, J.C., McBurnett, K., Stone, P., Hartdagen, S., & Hynd, G. (1988). Psychopathology in the parents of children with conduct disorder and hyperactivity. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 27, 163-170.
25.
Loney, J. (1987). Hyperactivity and aggression in the diagnosis of attention deficit disorder. In B.B. Lahey & A.E. Kazdin (Eds.), Advances in clinical child psychology (vol. 10, pp. 99-135). New York: Plenum.
26.
Loney, J. & Milich, R. (1982). Hyperactivity, inattention, and aggression in clinical practice. In M. Wolraich & D. Routh (Eds.), Advances in developmental and behavioral pediatrics (vol. 3, pp. 113-147). Greenwich, CT: JAI.
27.
Mash, E.J., & Johnston, C. (1982). A comparison of the mother-child interactions of younger and older hyperactive and normal children. Child Development, 53, 1371-1381.
28.
Mash, E.J., & Johnston, C. (1983). Parental perceptions of child behavior problems, parenting self-esteem, and mothers' reported stress in younger and older hyperactive and normal children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology , 51, 86-99.
29.
McGee, R., Williams, S., & Silva, P.A. (1984). Background characteristics of aggressive, hyperactive, and aggressive-hyperactive boys. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 23, 280-284.
30.
Patterson. G. (1982). Coercive family process. Eugene, OR: Castalia.
31.
Pelham, W.E., Milich, R., Murphy, D.A., & Murphy, H.A. (1989). Normative data on the IOWA Conners Teacher Rating Scale. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 18, 259-262.
32.
Reeves, J.C., Werry, J.S., Elkind, G.S., & Zametkin, A. (1987). Attention deficit, conduct, oppositional, and anxiety disorders in children: II. Clinical characteristics. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 26, 144-155.
33.
Schachar, R.J., & Wachsmuth, R. (1990a). Hyperactivity and parental psychopathology. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 31, 381-392.
34.
Schachar, R.J., & Wachsmuth, R. (1990b). Family dysfunction and psychosocial adversity: Comparison of attention deficit disorder, conduct disorder, normal and clinical controls. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 23, 332-348.
35.
Weiss, R.L., & Sumners, K. (1983). Marital interaction coding system: 3. In E. Filsinger (Ed.), Marriage and family assessment. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
