A comparison of direct observation and self- report measures of parenting behaviour.

..................................................................................................................xiv Thesis Statement ....................................................................................................xvi Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. xvii Preface...................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1. Externalising Behaviour Problems and Parenting Behaviour................... 5 1.1 Externalising Behaviour Problems ............................................................................... 6 1.2 Parenting.................................................................................................................... 22 1.3 Relationships between Parenting and Behaviour Problems ...................................... 33 Chapter 2. The Measurement of Parenting Behaviour ............................................ 49 2.1 Methods Used to Measure Parenting Practices......................................................... 50 2.2 Direct Relationships between Self-reported and Observed Behaviour ...................... 64 2.3 Relationships between Self-reports and Observations of Parenting Behaviour and Family Characteristics...................................................................................................... 81 2.4 Relationships between Self-reports and Observations of Parenting Behaviour and Children’s Externalising Behaviour .................................................................................. 88 Chapter 3. Methodology.......................................................................................... 94 3.1 Participants .............................................................................................................. 944 3.2 Procedure................................................................................................................... 99 3.3 Measures and Materials........................................................................................... 108 Chapter 4. Sample Characteristics........................................................................ 123 4.1 Demographic Characteristics ................................................................................... 123 4.2 Family Risk Factors.................................................................................................. 128 Chapter 5. Self-Reported Parenting Behaviour ..................................................... 132 5.1 Content Validity of the Self-Report Parenting Questionnaires ................................. 132 5.2 Construct Validity: Factor Structure and Reliability of the Self-Report Parenting Questionnaires ............................................................................................................... 138 5.3 Mean Scores for the Self-Report Parenting Questionnaires .................................... 147 iv Chapter 6. Observed Parenting Behaviour ........................................................... 155 6.1 Validity of the Observed Parenting Behaviour ..........................................................156 6.2 Inter-Observer Reliability of the Observed Parenting Behaviour ..............................161 6.3 Mean Scores for the Observed Parenting Behaviours .............................................165 Chapter 7. Level of Agreement Between Self-Reported and Observed Parenting Behaviour.............................................................................................................. 177 7.1 Correlations Between Self-reported and Observed Parenting Domains ..................178 7.2 Factors which might Influence the Relationships Between Self-reported and Observed Parenting Domains .........................................................................................................181 Chapter 8. Relationships between Parenting Behaviour, Family Risk Variables and Children’s Behaviour ............................................................................................. 190 8.1 Relationships between Parenting Behaviour and Family Characteristics.................192 8.2 Relationships between Parenting Behaviour and Children’s Externalising Behaviour ........................................................................................................................................207 Chapter 9. Summary, Study Limitations and Conclusion ...................................... 218 9.1 General Summary and Recommendations...............................................................218 9.2 Study Limitations and Future Research....................................................................236 9.3 Conclusion................................................................................................................248 Appendices ........................................................................................................... 249 References............................................................................................................ 358