Time use, parenting practice and conduct problems in four- to five-year-old Australian children

Conduct problems (CoP) represent one of the most common mental health issues manifesting in childhood, with the potential to influence the developmental trajectory of children negatively. Early identification of children at risk of developing CoP is a key strategy to their effective management. Evidence suggests that parenting practices are important contributors to CoP; however, these practices can also interact with the activities in which children engage and these have not yet been addressed in combination.

A cross-sectional study of a nationally representative sample of 4936 four- to five-year-old children from Wave 1 of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children was undertaken to examine the relationship between CoP, parenting practices and time use.

All children were at a lower risk of CoP if they were exposed to less hostile and consistent parenting practices and if they did not have sleep problems as reported by their parents. However, boys were more vulnerable if they had fathers who had not undertaken tertiary education, and spent more time in risk-oriented physical activities.

Parenting practices are affirmed as a significant independent predictor of risk for developing CoP. The nature of activities in which children engaged, particularly boys, also has the potential to influence the manifestation of CoP. Occupational therapy services for children with CoP are best provided in the context of family-centred practice and should incorporate an examination of daily time use.