A Comparison of Children's Behavior Problems in Clinical and Nonclinical Intact Families.

There has been increased interest in family systems approaches to the treatment of children's behavior problems. A study was conducted to compare children's behavior patterns in clinical and nonclinical intact families and to explore the relationship between family functioning and boys' behavior patterns. Subjects consisted of 16 clinic families who were clients of a child guidance center, and 14 non-clinic families recruited from the community. All families consisted of at least one male child between the ages of 6 and 12, and his biological parents. Families were assessed using self-reports of family process and boys' behavioral functioning. The results showed significant differences between groups on behavioral functioning and family process variables. Boys in nonclinical families were reported to have significantly fewer and less severe behavior problems than boys in clinical families. The measure of family process indicated that clinical families reported significantly poorer problem solving and communication skills than nonclinical families. In addition, clinical families rated themselves as more disengaged and less adaptable than did nonclinical families. There was also a significant relationship between children's behavior problems and family processes such that more behavior problems correlated with more dysfunctional family processes. (Author/NRB)