The influence of maternal stress and distress on disruptive behavior problems in boys.
OBJECTIVE
The current study examined how self-reported maternal stress and distress are associated with child disruptive behaviors.


METHODS
Mother and teacher ratings of child disruptive behavior problems (attention problems, aggression, and delinquency) were collected for 215 male participants, ranging in age from 9 to 12 years. Participating mothers also provided self-report data on socioeconomic status (SES), parenting stress, and distress (depression and anxiety/somatization).


RESULTS
Low SES was significantly associated with both mother- and teacher-reported child disruptive behavior problems. Regression analyses indicated a relation between parenting stress and mother-reported child disruptive behavior problems, even when controlling for SES. Results also indicated a significant relation between maternal distress and mother-reported child disruptive behavior problems (particularly attention problems), even when controlling for SES and parenting stress. Maternal stress and distress were not significantly related to teacher-reported child disruptive behavior problems.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the lack of an association between teacher-reported behavior problems and maternal stress and distress could be interpreted as a rater bias by these mothers, it may be that the mothers' symptoms are associated with a stressful home environment, thus exacerbating child disruptive behavior problems and eventually leading to a reciprocal relation between symptomatology in mothers and children.
Barry
Tammy D
TD
Department of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, 39406, USA. tammy.barry@usm.edu
Dunlap
Sarah T
ST
Cotten
Sarah J
SJ
Lochman
John E
JE
Wells
Karen C
KC
D000328:Adult; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D015588:Observer Variation; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*