Parenting behaviors and the
occurrence and co-occurrence of depressive symptoms and conduct problems among
African American children
Irene J. Kim, Xiaojia Ge, Gene
H. Brody, Rand D. Conger, Frederick X. Gibbons, Ronald L. Simons
(2003) Journal of Family
Psychology, 17(4), 571-583.
The occurrence and co-occurrence
of depressive symptoms and conduct problems were examined in the context of
parenting behaviors in a community-based sample of 897 African American
children and their primary caregivers using a multi-informant, longitudinal
design. Parenting behaviors and clinical
symptoms were assessed in 2 waves, when the children averaged 10.5 and 12.3
years of age. Parenting behaviors
differed significantly according to a child's symptomatology; (a) that is, when
a child exhibited no depressive or conduct problems, (b) depressive problem
only, (c) conduct problems only, or (d) co-occurring depressive and conduct
problems. When parenting behaviors were
examined according to changes in children's symptom levels, children whose
symptoms increased over time reported increases in hostility and
harsh-inconsistent parenting and decreases in warmth and nurturant-involved
parenting.