Keywords

ADHD; ODD; childrearing

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between the perceived externalizing behaviors of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and the maladaptive childrearing beliefs of their parents. The study used archival survey data provided by Intervention Services, Inc., a community mental health center. Data from 338 families with a child diagnosed with ADHD or ODD were analyzed. The study used the Conners' Parent Behavior Rating Scale short version to measure the level of conduct problems, impulsivity, and hyperactivity of the children as perceived by the parents. The Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory was used to measure the degree of parental belief in the value of physical punishment and lack of empathy towards childrens needs. Both surveys were completed by the parent. Pearson product-moment correlational analyses were undertaken for the total sample and separately for each of four subsamples: 1) males, 2)females, 3)those with ADHD, and 4) those with ODD. The results provided only moderate support for a few of the hypothesized associations between child externalizing behaviors and parent childrearing beliefs. Significant but very modest correlations were found in the total sample, male sample, and ODD sample. The strongest correlation in each sample was between conduct problems and physical punishment. The most interesting finding of the research was the difference in results between the subsamples. For the participants in this study, males and those with a diagnosis of ODD showed a greater correlation between childrearing beliefs of parents and perceived externalizing behaviors than females and those with a diagnosis of ADHD. Future research could focus on the differences in patterns of correlations found between the subsamples.

Graduation Date

1998

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Jensen, Bernard J.

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Format

PDF

Pages

69 p.

Language

English

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Identifier

DP0022774

Subjects

Arts and Sciences -- Dissertations, Academic; Dissertations, Academic -- Arts and Sciences

Accessibility Status

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