Hatherly Kathryn, Stienwandt Shaelyn, Salisbury Marlee R, Roos Leslie E, Fisher Philip A
School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Western Ontario, 1201 Western Road, London, ONCA N6A 3K7, USA.
Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, 66 Chancellors Cir, Winnipeg, MBCA R3T 2N2, USA.
Adv Neurodev Disord. 2023 Mar;7(1):35-45. doi: 10.1007/s41252-022-00260-y. Epub 2022 Jun 6.
Children with neurodevelopmental delays show higher levels of externalizing behavioral problems, resulting in increased parental stress. This study aims to determine if the frequency of family routines moderates children's externalizing problems and associated parental stress based on children's cognitive ability longitudinally.
Children with neurodevelopmental delays and caregivers ( = 202) participated in assessments that included the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Forth Edition, Child Behavior Checklist, Parent Daily Report, and Family Routines Inventory. Child participants were 28 to 72 months old ( = 48.00, = 10.652) and predominantly male (69.3%).
Frequency of family routines at baseline ( = - .375, SE = .112, = .001) was associated with lower child externalizing behaviours at baseline ( = - .104, SE = .047, = .031). Frequency of family routines moderated parental stress for children with average (i.e., at the mean; = - .211, SE = .119, = .08) and above average (i.e., 1SD above mean; = - .436, SE = .177, = .02) nonverbal skills. Longitudinally, increased frequency of family routines ( = - .193, SE = .092, = .04) was associated with less child externalizing behaviors.
Findings demonstrate that routines may reduce parental stress, but the use of routines alone may be less practical for children with lower verbal skills. Additionally, the importance of routines for minimizing behavioral problems in children was significant for children with average or higher nonverbal skills at baseline, suggesting that nonverbal skills are protective for these children.
患有神经发育迟缓的儿童表现出更高水平的外化行为问题，导致父母压力增加。本研究旨在纵向确定家庭日常活动的频率是否会根据儿童的认知能力调节儿童的外化问题及相关的父母压力。
患有神经发育迟缓的儿童及其照顾者（n = 202）参与了评估，评估内容包括韦氏学前和小学智力量表第四版、儿童行为清单、家长每日报告和家庭日常活动量表。儿童参与者年龄在28至72个月之间（M = 48.00，SD = 10.652），且以男性为主（69.3%）。
基线时家庭日常活动的频率（β = -0.375，SE = 0.112，p = 0.001）与基线时儿童较低的外化行为相关（β = -0.104，SE = 0.047，p = 0.031）。家庭日常活动的频率调节了平均（即均值；β = -0.211，SE = 0.119，p = 0.08）及以上平均（即均值以上1个标准差；β = -0.436，SE = 0.177，p = 0.02）非语言技能儿童的父母压力。纵向来看，家庭日常活动频率的增加（β = -0.193，SE = 0.092，p = 0.04）与儿童较少的外化行为相关。
研究结果表明，日常活动可能会减轻父母压力，但仅靠日常活动对语言技能较低的儿童可能不太实用。此外，日常活动对于将儿童行为问题降至最低的重要性在基线时具有平均或更高非语言技能的儿童中很显著，这表明非语言技能对这些儿童具有保护作用。
