Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AP, UK.
School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, 70 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2018 May;27(5):595-604. doi: 10.1007/s00787-017-1088-6. Epub 2017 Dec 4.
Parenting children with conduct problems (CP) is challenging, yet very little is known about the impact of the child's behaviour on family functioning or how parents of children with CP perceive their child. The aim of this research was to examine whether families with children with CP and high vs. low levels of callous-unemotional traits (HCU vs. LCU) experience differences in family functioning and parental perceptions. One hundred and one parents/caregivers of boys aged 11-16 [Typically developing (TD) n = 31; CP/HCU n = 35; CP/LCU n = 35] completed the McMaster Family Assessment Device, measuring multiple domains of family functioning. Parents/caregivers also completed a written statement describing their child, used for qualitative analysis. Families with CP/HCU children had poorer affective involvement than TD (p = 0.00; d = - 1.17) and CP/LCU (p = 0.03; d = - 0.62) families. Families with CP/HCU children showed significantly poorer general family functioning (p = 0.04; d = - 0.63) and more poorly defined family roles (p = 0.005; d = - 0.82) than families with TD children. Qualitative analyses indicated that parents/caregivers of CP/HCU children characterised them as having a dichotomous personality and being superficially charming. CP/LCU children were characterised as cheeky and endearing, with parents reporting good rapport. Families with CP/HCU children presented with specific difficulties in affective involvement and parents described challenges which were in line with the child's specific presentation of lack of empathy and shallow affect. These findings may be used to help clinicians identify targets for family interventions.
养育有行为问题的儿童（CP）具有挑战性，但人们对儿童行为对家庭功能的影响知之甚少，也不知道 CP 儿童的父母如何看待自己的孩子。本研究旨在探讨是否存在患有 CP 且具有高 vs. 低冷酷无情特质（HCU vs. LCU）的儿童的家庭在家庭功能和父母认知方面存在差异。101 名 11-16 岁男孩的父母/照顾者（典型发育（TD）n=31；CP/HCU n=35；CP/LCU n=35）完成了麦克马斯特家庭评估工具，该工具测量了家庭功能的多个领域。父母/照顾者还完成了一份书面陈述，描述他们的孩子，用于定性分析。与 TD（p=0.00；d=-1.17）和 CP/LCU（p=0.03；d=-0.62）家庭相比，患有 CP/HCU 儿童的家庭情感投入较差。与 TD 儿童相比，患有 CP/HCU 儿童的家庭一般家庭功能较差（p=0.04；d=-0.63），家庭角色定义较差（p=0.005；d=-0.82）。定性分析表明，CP/HCU 儿童的父母/照顾者认为他们具有二分人格，表面上很迷人。CP/LCU 儿童被描述为厚脸皮和可爱，父母报告说与孩子关系良好。患有 CP/HCU 儿童的家庭在情感投入方面存在特定困难，父母描述的挑战与孩子缺乏同理心和情感浅薄的特定表现相符。这些发现可用于帮助临床医生确定家庭干预的目标。
