2016 Gatlinburg Conference Poster
PS-27
Title: Associations between Adaptive Behavior and Intrusive Parenting Behavior for Young Children with Developmental Delays
Authors: Evangeline Kurtz-Nelson, Laura Lee McIntyre
Introduction: Observed intrusive or insensitive parenting behaviors may contribute to poorer outcomes for young children with
developmental delays (DD), such as increased externalizing behavior and decreased social skills (Niccols & Feldman, 2006;
Stevenson & Crnic, 2013). Parents are likely to display more directive parenting behaviors with children with DD than with their
typically developing siblings, indicating that characteristics of children with DD may prompt parents to engage in more structured
or parent-led interactions with these children (Floyd, Harter, & Costigan, 2004). However, previous research has not examined
how child characteristics may relate to intrusive parenting behavior in this population. As such, the present study sought to
examine whether a specific characteristic of children with DD--low adaptive behavior in varied domains--was associated with
observed parental intrusion during a free play task.
Methods: This study was part of a larger investigation of family-based early intervention for families with preschool-aged
children with DD (McIntyre, PI). Families with children with DD (N = 76) were recruited from early intervention and early
childhood special education programs in Oregon. Data were collected through extensive in-home interviews and assessments of
family demographics, child adaptive behavior (Vineland-II), child problem behavior (CBCL), and observed parent-child
interactions (Parent Child Behavior Observation System; Phaneuf & McIntyre, 2007). Specifically, percentage of 30-sec intervals
containing intrusive parenting behavior were analyzed during a 10-min parent-child interaction free play task.
Results: Parents engaged in intrusive interactions during a free play task during an average of 21% of all intervals (range 0 - 65%;
SD = 16.38%). Bivariate correlations were conducted to examine associations between child adaptive behavior, child problem
behavior, and intrusion. Intrusion was significantly negatively associated with child motor skills, r(64) = -.27, p < .05. Intrusion
was not associated with other domains of adaptive behavior, overall adaptive behavior, or child problem behavior. Five
independent samples t-tests were conducted to compare intrusive parenting behavior for children with low adaptive behavior (n
= 48; standard score of 85 or below) and children with average adaptive behavior (n = 18; standard score of 86 or above) in four
subdomains (communication, daily living skills, socialization and motor skills) and in overall adaptive behavior. Results indicated
that parents of children with low communication skills (M = .22, SD = .17) engaged in more intrusion than parents of children
with average communication skills (M = .14, SD = .09), t(64) = 2.35, p < .05. In addition, parents of children with overall low
adaptive behavior (M = .22, SD = .17) engaged in more intrusion than parents of children with overall average adaptive behavior
(M = .14, SD = .10), t(64) = 2.38, p < .05.
Discussion: Results suggest that parents of children with DD who have low communication skills or overall adaptive behavior
engage in more intrusion than parents of children with average communication skills or adaptive behavior. In addition, lower
motor skills are associated with increased intrusion for children with DD. These results indicate that delays in specific dimensions
of adaptive behavior as well as in overall adaptive behavior may lead parents to direct and control children's activities during
parent-child play. Future research should examine the direction of the relationship between adaptive behavior and intrusion as
well as the impact of parental intrusion on later behavior and development.
References/Citations:
• Floyd, F.J., Harter, K.S.M., & Costigan, C.L. (2004). Family problem-solving with children who have mental retardation.
American Journal on Mental Retardation, 109(6), 507-524.
• Stevenson, M. & Crnic, K. (2013). Intrusive fathering, children's self-regulation and social skills: A mediation analysis.
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 57(6), 500-512.
Supported by NIH grant R01HD059838 (L. L. McIntyre, PI)