Maternal perceptions of deviance in child behavior as a function of stress and clinic versus nonclinic status of the child: An analogue study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine how parents of clinic-referred and nonclinic children would rate a set of written vignettes that varied in level of stress inherent in the situation and type of child behavior (appropriate, neutral, inappropriate). It was hypothesized that the depicted stress level and clinic status would exert an influence primarily on ratings of child behavior that were neutral. Mothers of 10 young clinic-referred children and mothers of 10 young nonclinic children served as subjects. Each mother rated 12 vignettes. The results supported the primary hypotheses. Vignettes which presented neutral child behavior were rated as more deviant in situations that were inherently highly stressful than those that were less stressful. In addition, mothers of clinic children rated neutral behavior as more deviant relative to mothers of nonclinic children. The results were discussed in terms of the salience of stress on perceptions of deviance as the ambiguity of the child's behavior increases, and the need for a more naturalistic replication of this analogue study.