Page 78 - Javanan Magazine Issue #1873

PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUE No. 1868
PSYCHOLOGICAL
ISSUE No. 1856
PERSPECTIVES JAVANAN
PERSPECTIVES
JAVANAN
Dr. Alan A.
Modarressi LOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
Clinical and A SOCIOCULTURAL AND MIND AND BODY OUTLOOK
Neuro-Psychologyst
In this column, we examine the mental health issues in the context
of social, culture, and physiological concerns of the Iranian community

PARENTING STYLE AND

CHILD/ADOLESCENTS

By: Dr. Ali A. Modarressi PSYCHOPATHOLOGY ond, the study was cross-sectional,
Licensed Psychologist so it is impossible to determine
How Bad Parenting Can Cause causality. Finally, the study only
New research published in Child included two settings (community
and Adolescent Psychopathology Psychopathic Traits in the Youth and clinical), so it is unclear whether
investigates the relationship be- these findings would generalize to
tween psychopathic traits and pa- other settings.
rental practices and how they are af- search has also shown that some pa- that there was a significant relation- The research team identified sev-
fected by conduct problems. Three rental practices may be a response to ship between psychopathic traits eral implications of their findings.
types of psychopathic traits were children’s behavioral problems. For and parental practices. Specifically, First, they suggest that their re-
found to have unique relationships example, children’s oppositional higher levels of psychopathic traits sults support the idea that parent-
with parental practices, even after and aggressive behaviors may result were associated with lower levels ing is not solely responsible for
considering conduct problems. The in increased parental control and of care from parents. Additionally, children’s behavior; children’s
study can help families and clini- harsh discipline. This bidirectional there was a significant interaction behavior can also impact parent-
cians understand how parenting and relationship between parenting between psychopathic traits and ing practices. Children with high
child and adolescent psychopathol- practices and child behavior high- conduct problems on parental con- callous-unemotional traits may
ogy intersect. lights the importance of considering trol. In other words, children with be perceived as challenging by
Conduct problems refer to a both factors when studying child high levels of both psychopathic parents, leading to parental ex-
range of behavioral issues or dif- and adolescent psychopathology. traits and conduct problems were haustion and less positive par-
ficulties that children and adoles- Despite the importance of parent- likelier to experience high levels of enting practices.
cents may display. These problems ing practices and psychopathic traits parental control. Second, they suggest that their
typically involve acting out, ag- in child and adolescent psychopa- In the community sample, par- findings highlight the importance
gressive behavior, rule-breaking, thology, research has only recently ents of children with high callous- of taking into account both psycho-
and difficulties in following social begun exploring the relationship unemotional traits were more likely pathic traits and conduct problems
norms and rules. between these two factors. Un- to engage in inconsistent discipline. when assessing parental practices.
Psychopathic traits, on the other derstanding the complex interplay Interestingly, this was not the case Finally, they suggest that their
hand, refer to a set of negative per- between parenting practices and in the clinical sample, possibly be- findings have implications for
sonality characteristics that include psychopathic traits is crucial for de- cause parents were already aware of intervention programs, as under-
a lack of empathy, callousness, ma- veloping effective interventions to their child’s difficulties and sought standing the relationship between
nipulative behavior, and impulsive- help children with psychopathology help, resulting in different parental psychopathic traits and parental
ness. While psychopathy is often lead healthy and fulfilling lives. practices. practices can help in developing
associated with adults, studies have The study recruited participants The study also found that impul- more effective interventions.
shown that it can also be present from two different settings: a com- sivity-need for stimulation dimen- The study provides valuable in-
in children and adolescents. Psy- munity sample in Greece-Cyprus sion was related to inconsistent dis- sights into the relationship between
chopathic traits in childhood and consisting of 768 parents and a clini- cipline in the community sample. In psychopathic traits and parental
adolescence are typically divided cal sample in the Netherlands with the clinically-referred sample, the practices. By understanding the
into three dimensions: callous-un- 217 parents. The clinical sample grandiose-deceitful dimension was complex interplay between parent-
emotional, grandiose-deceitful, and came from a school for children associated with inconsistent disci- ing practices and child behavior,
impulsivity-need for stimulation. with severe psychiatric illnesses. pline. we can develop more effective in-
Research suggests that negative Participants completed self-report The authors acknowledge several terventions to help children with
parental practices can contribute to measures of psychopathic traits (us- limitations of their study. First, the psychopathology lead healthy and
the development of psychopathic ing the Youth Psychopathic Traits study used self-report measures, fulfilling lives.
traits in children. But previous re- The results of the study showed which may be subject to bias. Sec-

DANESH FOROUGHI, PH.D. Alan Modarressi, PhD, QME
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, PSY13680 Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Licensed Marriage, Family & Child Psychotherapist, MFC23455 Qualified Medical Evaluator
Certified National Board of Addiction Examiners #4974 Certified Psychophsychologist
Tel: (310) 940-3642 Diplomat, American Academy of Pain Management
15720 Ventura Blvd., Second Fl. #224 Encino CA 91436 (818) 501-6080 (562) 861-7226

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