PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN WITH EXTERNALIZING BEHAVIORS - EXPERIENCE OF FATHERS AND MOTHERS

Childhood behavior disorders are related to family stress and maladjus tment. Little is known, however, about the adjustment of families with preschool-aged children at risk for subsequent behavior disorders. Mo reover, fathers' perceptions of child problem behavior and their react ions to if generally have been neglected. Subjects were mothers and fa thers of 52 preschool-aged children assigned to one of three groups: c ontrol, moderate externalizing, and high externalizing. Higher child e xternalizing behavior was associated with greater negative family impa ct, lowered parenting sense of efficacy and child-rearing practices th at were more authoritarian and less authoritative. Mothers and fathers did not differ in actual perceived level of child behavior problems, although both believed that mothers saw more problems. Child Group x P arent interactions indicated that mothers experienced increased stress and a need for help with moderate as well as high child externalizing behaviors, whereas fathers were not elevated on these measures unless the child's externalizing behaviors were high. Implications of these findings for early family intervention are considered.