Pre-school children with and without developmental delay: behaviour problems and parenting stress over time.

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Child Psychiatry
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Children with intellectual disabilities face increased risks for behavioral issues and mental health disorders.
• Early identification and intervention are crucial for managing developmental delays and associated behavioral challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the early manifestation and continuity of problem behaviors in preschool children.
• To compare behavior problems in children with and without developmental delays.
• To examine the relationship between parenting stress and child behavior problems.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study of 205 preschool children (aged 36-48 months) with and without developmental delays.
• Behavioral assessments conducted by parents (mothers and fathers).
• Measurement of parenting stress levels.

Main Results:

• Behavior problems remained stable from 36 to 48 months of age.
• Children with developmental delays exhibited significantly higher rates of behavior problems, with three times the likelihood of clinical range scores.
• Parental agreement on child behavior ratings was high, particularly in the delayed group. Parenting stress was elevated in the delayed group but correlated with behavior problem severity, not delay itself.

Conclusions:

• A transactional model explains the interplay between parenting stress and child behavior problems.
• Elevated parenting stress can worsen child behavior over time, and conversely, significant child behavior problems can increase parental stress.
• These reciprocal influences were observed similarly in mothers and fathers.