Abstract

SILVA, Luciana Assis  and  ALVARENGA, Patrícia. Childrearing practice and child behavior on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Temas psicol. [online]. 2013, vol.21, n.2, pp. 361-377. ISSN 1413-389X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.9788/TP2013.2-05.

The present study investigated differences in the use of childrearing practices by mothers whose children have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and by mothers whose children have not been diagnosed with ADHD. Participants in the study were 19 mother-child dyads divided into two groups. All dyads included boys between the ages of six and ten. The clinical group was composed of nine dyads with children diagnosed with ADHD. The non-clinical group included ten dyads with children without the disorder. An observation session of mother-child interaction was carried out in order to analyze maternal childrearing practices and child behaviors. The observation consisted of four interaction episodes: free play, putting away toys, copying activity, and cooperation. The interaction was filmed and lasted approximately 40 minutes. Maternal behaviors were coded into nine categories: ambiguous control; coercive control; insensitivity; intrusiveness; negativity; permissiveness; assertive control; positive involvement; and encouragement. Child behaviors were assessed using nine categories: noncompliance; inadequacy; insensitivity; negativism; assertiveness; positive involvement; compliance; request; independent play. The results revealed only one difference between the two groups: mothers from the clinical group displayed a higher frequency of assertive control than did mothers from the non-clinical group. The relevance of a rigorous diagnostic process for the advancement of research in this field is discussed.

Keywords : Attention Deficit [Hyperactivity Disorder]; maternal childrearing practices; child behavior; child development.

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