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Comparisons of behavior transactions between conduct-disordered children and their mothers in the clinic and at home

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Abstract

The effects of various degrees of structure during clinic observations and the location of the observation (home or clinic) on the behaviors of mothers and children were examined. Forty families with conduct-problem children between the ages of 3 and 8 years participated. Correlations indicated little relationship between behavior in structured and in unstructured clinic conditions. There was also a lack of correlation between the structured clinic and the home observations. However, there were high correlations between mothers' and children's behaviors in the unstructured clinic observation and the home observations. ANOVA further indicated that there were significant differences between the actual rates of behaviors observed in the home and clinic locations. Results are discussed in relation to the potential of structured clinic observations to provide more relevant and efficient information about mothers and conduct-problem children.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parent and Child Nursing, SC-74, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, Washington

    Carolyn Webster-Stratton

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  1. Carolyn Webster-Stratton
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Additional information

This research was supported in part by a University of Washington School of Nursing Biomedical Research Services Grant and by Graduate School Research funds. Appreciation is expressed to Barbara Hummel for her skillful assistance in the preparation of the manuscript. The author is also grateful to a number of people who assisted in extensive work related to data collection and data management: Jeanne Bourget, Janet Cady, Melanie Calderwood, Jayne Eriks, Maxime Fookson, Don Goldstein, Terri Hollinsworth, Margaret Jarvis, Liz LeCuyer, Sharon McNamara, Judi Withers, and Bernice Yates. Finally, thanks also go to Bob Abbott for his statistical consultation and to Sandy Mitchell for manuscript review.

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Webster-Stratton, C. Comparisons of behavior transactions between conduct-disordered children and their mothers in the clinic and at home. J Abnorm Child Psychol 13, 169–183 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00910640

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00910640

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