Parenting Styles and Behavior Problems in Children with Chronic Illnesses
Mentor 1
W. Hobart Davies
Location
Union Wisconsin Room
Start Date
29-4-2016 1:30 PM
End Date
29-4-2016 3:30 PM
Description
Objective: Relative to families of healthy children, having a chronically ill child increases the stress in a family system (Spagnola & Fiese, 2010). The higher rate of behavior problems in chronically ill children is one such stressor these families experience (Pinquart & Shen, 2011). Difficulty coping with the daily stressors of a childhood chronic condition may partially explain the higher rate of behavior problems reported by parents. Parents have the added burden of helping their children cope and attempting to adapt their parenting style to meet the needs of their child. The current study examined whether a) parents of chronically ill children report higher rates of concerning behavior relative to healthy peers and b) there is a consistent relationship between parenting styles and child behaviors across these two groups. Methods: Participants included 994 mothers and 420 fathers (Mage=38.38, SD=8.14) of children (44% female) between eight and 17-years-old (M=12.04, SD=2.04) with one chronic illness (e.g. asthma, migraines, chronic pain). Parents provided demographic information, child behavior difficulties, and self-reported parenting style. Results: A two-way ANOVA identified significant main effects of having a chronic illness child (F(1,1124)=20.80, p<0.001) and parenting style (F(3,1124)=10.19, p<0.001). Post hoc analyses indicated that authoritative parents reported fewer child behavior problems than neglectful or authoritarian parents. No difference was found between neglectful or authoritarian parents. Conclusion: While children with chronic illnesses demonstrate more behavior problems than their healthy peers, they benefit from the same parenting styles. It is possible that the higher rate of child behavior difficulties in chronically ill children is due to a) more parental attention to chronically ill children or b) increased parent stress leading to over-reporting. The different outcomes associated with variations in parenting behaviors highlight the need for clinicians in pediatric settings to assess whether the child’s needs are being met by their caregiver’s parenting style.
Parenting Styles and Behavior Problems in Children with Chronic Illnesses
Union Wisconsin Room
Objective: Relative to families of healthy children, having a chronically ill child increases the stress in a family system (Spagnola & Fiese, 2010). The higher rate of behavior problems in chronically ill children is one such stressor these families experience (Pinquart & Shen, 2011). Difficulty coping with the daily stressors of a childhood chronic condition may partially explain the higher rate of behavior problems reported by parents. Parents have the added burden of helping their children cope and attempting to adapt their parenting style to meet the needs of their child. The current study examined whether a) parents of chronically ill children report higher rates of concerning behavior relative to healthy peers and b) there is a consistent relationship between parenting styles and child behaviors across these two groups. Methods: Participants included 994 mothers and 420 fathers (Mage=38.38, SD=8.14) of children (44% female) between eight and 17-years-old (M=12.04, SD=2.04) with one chronic illness (e.g. asthma, migraines, chronic pain). Parents provided demographic information, child behavior difficulties, and self-reported parenting style. Results: A two-way ANOVA identified significant main effects of having a chronic illness child (F(1,1124)=20.80, p<0.001) and parenting style (F(3,1124)=10.19, p<0.001). Post hoc analyses indicated that authoritative parents reported fewer child behavior problems than neglectful or authoritarian parents. No difference was found between neglectful or authoritarian parents. Conclusion: While children with chronic illnesses demonstrate more behavior problems than their healthy peers, they benefit from the same parenting styles. It is possible that the higher rate of child behavior difficulties in chronically ill children is due to a) more parental attention to chronically ill children or b) increased parent stress leading to over-reporting. The different outcomes associated with variations in parenting behaviors highlight the need for clinicians in pediatric settings to assess whether the child’s needs are being met by their caregiver’s parenting style.
