Peer-reviewed article
Understanding Behaviours That Challenge in Children With Intellectual Disability: Parental Characteristics and Children's Support Needs.
Arango U PS, Marcela Tenorio D, Andrés Aparicio A ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined how parental attitudes, parenting styles, and mental health relate to challenging behaviours in 225 Chilean children with intellectual disability. Parental attitudes were the strongest predictor of challenging behaviours, and this effect was stronger for children with lower support needs. Parents reported higher anxiety levels than the general population. The findings suggest that interventions targeting positive parental attitudes and parental mental health support could help reduce challenging behaviours in these children.
Key points
- Parental attitudes were the strongest predictor of behaviours that challenge in children with intellectual disability
- Parents of children with intellectual disability reported elevated anxiety levels compared to national averages
- Parental mental health was significantly related to children's internalizing behaviours but not externalizing behaviours
- Positive parental attitudes had a stronger effect in reducing challenging behaviours for children with lower support needs compared to those with moderate or high support needs
- Parenting styles were not significantly associated with either internalizing or externalizing behaviours
Limitations
This is a cross-sectional study, which cannot establish causal relationships between parental characteristics and child behaviours. The study is limited to school-aged children and adolescents in Chile, and does not include other contextual factors that may influence these relationships.
Abstract
Background Behaviours that challenge are prevalent among children with intellectual disability and can limit their participation and inclusion in educational and community settings. Although previous research has highlighted the role of parental factors in these behaviours, little is known about how the child's level of required support may moderate these associations. This study aimed to examine the relation between parental attitudes, styles, mental health and the behaviours that challenge in their children with intellectual disability, considering the child's level of required support as a potential moderator. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted with 225 parents of school-aged children and adolescents with intellectual disability in Chile. Parental attitudes, styles, mental health and their child's behaviours were assessed. Structural equation modelling and multigroup analysis were used to evaluate direct and moderated effects. Results Parents reported elevated levels of anxiety compared to national averages. Parental attitudes were the strongest predictor of behaviours that challenge. Parental mental health was significantly related to children's internalizing but not externalizing behaviours. Parenting styles were not significantly associated with either type of behaviour. Moderation analysis showed a stronger effect of positive parental attitudes for children with lower support needs than for those with moderate or high. Conclusion Findings underscore the importance of fostering positive parental attitudes as a key intervention target for reducing behaviours that challenge in children with intellectual disability, particularly those with lower support needs. Given the high levels of anxiety among parents, providing mental health support may also be crucial. Future research should explore causal pathways using longitudinal designs and consider additional contextual factors influencing the relationship between parental variables and child behaviour.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Fostering positive parental attitudes and providing parental mental health support
- Population
- 225 parents of school-aged children and adolescents with intellectual disability in Chile
Key finding
Parental attitudes were the strongest predictor of behaviours that challenge