G. Donenberg et Bl. Baker, THE IMPACT OF YOUNG-CHILDREN WITH EXTERNALIZING BEHAVIORS ON THEIR FAMILIES, Journal of abnormal child psychology, 21(2), 1993, pp. 179-198
Compared the impact on families of young children with externalizing b
ehaviors (eg., hyperactive, aggressive; n = 22), autism (n = 20), or n
o significant problem behaviors (n = 22) on several measures of family
functioning. Previous studies have found heightened stress and parent
al maladjustment in families with externalizing children. The present
study expanded upon that literature by (1) including a clinical contro
l group to determine the specific impact of externalizing problems, (2
) focusing on preschool aged children, and (3) using a new measure to
directly ascertain parents' perception of impact. Compared to parents
with normally developing children, parents with externalizing children
reported more negative impact on social life, more negative and less
positive feelings about parenting, and higher child-related stress. Mo
reover, parents of externalizing children reported levels of impact an
d stress as high as those reported by parents of children with autism.
On broader measures of parental and marital well-being, however, the
three groups of families of preschoolers did not differ. The implicati
ons of these findings for intervention are discussed.