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Daytime behaviour problems and maternal stress in children with Down's syndrome, their siblings, and
Insights
Children with Down's syndrome (DS) and other intellectual disabilities exhibit more behavioral issues than typically developing peers. Maternal stress is highest in families with other intellectual disabilities, with behavior problems linked to stress across all groups.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychiatry
- Genetics
Background:
- Down's syndrome (DS) is a genetic condition associated with intellectual disability.
- Behavioral problems and maternal stress are significant concerns in children with intellectual disabilities.
- Comparative studies are crucial for understanding unique challenges faced by different groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare daytime behavior problems and maternal stress in children with Down's syndrome (DS) against other groups.
- To investigate associations between behavioral disturbances and maternal stress.
- To inform early assessment and intervention strategies for affected families.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) and Malaise Inventory for maternal reporting.
- Included four groups: children with DS, non-intellectually disabled siblings, general population controls, and children with other intellectual disabilities.
- Analyzed data for group differences, age/sex effects, and correlations between behavior and stress.
Main Results:
- Children with DS and other intellectual disabilities showed significantly higher behavioral disturbance across all ABC subscales compared to controls.
- Children with other intellectual disabilities exhibited more severe behavioral issues than those with DS.
- Maternal stress was highest in the group with other intellectual disabilities, with significant correlations between child behavior and maternal stress observed across all samples.
Conclusions:
- Children with DS and other intellectual disabilities experience elevated behavioral problems.
- Children with other intellectual disabilities present with more severe behavioral challenges than those with DS.
- Early assessment and support are vital for mitigating the impact of behavioral problems and maternal stress on child development and family well-being.
Abstract:
The present study investigates the occurrence of daytime behaviour problems and maternal stress in a group of children with Down's syndrome (DS) compared with a group of their non-intellectually disabled siblings, a group of non-intellectually disabled children from the general population and a group of children with an intellectual disability other than Down's syndrome. The Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) and the Malaise Inventory were completed by the mothers. Associations between daytime behaviour problems and maternal stress were also explored. Overall, the children with DS and the children with other intellectual disabilities showed significantly higher rates of behavioural disturbance on all five of the ABC subscales (Irritability, Lethargy, Stereotypies, Hyperactivity and Inappropriate Speech) and on the Total ABC score. However, the children with other intellectual disabilities also showed significantly higher scores than the children with DS on four of the ABC subscales: Irritability, Lethargy, Stereotypies and Hyperactivity, as well as the Total ABC score. The siblings and children from the general population showed very similar behaviour scores. A number of significant age and sex differences were found in the occurrence of daytime behaviour problems. Maternal stress was significantly higher in the group with other forms of intellectual disability than the other three groups, and a number of significant associations were found between parental ratings of daytime behaviour problems and maternal stress in all four samples. The implications of the findings are discussed, including the need for early assessment to minimize adverse effects on the child's development and on family life.