How mothers parent their children with behavior disorders: implications for unintentional injury risk

J Safety Res. 2006;37(2):167-73. doi: 10.1016/j.jsr.2005.11.004. Epub 2006 May 3.

Abstract

Introduction: This study was designed to test the role of parental supervision in explaining why children with behavior disorders have increased risk of unintentional injury.

Method: Children referred to a pediatric behavior disorders clinic and their mothers were unknowingly observed in a "hazard room" environment that housed several items that appeared dangerous but actually were altered to be safe.

Results: Mother and child behavior in the hazard room was correlated to parent-, teacher-, and observational-reports of children's externalizing behavior patterns, children's injury history, and mother's parenting styles. Maternal ignoring of children's dangerous behavior in the hazard room was the strongest correlate to children's injury history.

Conclusions: Poor parental supervision might serve as a mechanism to explain why children with behavior disorders, and those with oppositional behavior patterns in particular, have increased risk of unintentional injury.

MeSH terms

  • Accident Prevention
  • Accident Proneness*
  • Accidents, Home / prevention & control*
  • Accidents, Home / psychology
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / complications
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / psychology
  • Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / complications
  • Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / psychology*
  • Child
  • Child Behavior Disorders / complications
  • Child Behavior Disorders / psychology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mother-Child Relations*
  • Mothers
  • Parenting*
  • Risk Factors
  • Safety
  • Wounds and Injuries / epidemiology
  • Wounds and Injuries / prevention & control
  • Wounds and Injuries / psychology*