Dispositional attributions and defensive behavior in high- and low-conflict delinquent families.

Abstract

The study examined attributions and defensive communication behaviors in high-or low-level conflict families of a delinquent adolescent. Family members'attributions and communication behaviors were examined in two contrasting priming conditions in which families focused on either dissatisfying or satisfying family events. The results replicated past parent-child attribution studies in that family members from low-conflict families made fewer dispositional (blaming) attributions about other family members' dissatisfying versus satisfying behaviors, whereas family members from high-conflict families made equivalent amounts of dispositional attributions about others' dissatisfying versus satisfying behaviors. As expected, family members from high-conflict families behaved significantly more defensively than did those from low-conflict families. Attributions and subsequent defensive behaviors did not covary.

Attribution processes in parent–adolescent conflict in families of adolescents with and without ADHD.

“…Consistent with previous research (Grace et al, 1993;Heatherington, et al, 2007;Mas, et al, 1991), the combination of global and responsibility attributions for conflict with mothers predicted number of conflicts in the whole sample. In spite of previous research showing that adolescents with externalizing disorders have more rigid beliefs about parental unfairness and therefore suggesting that ADHD status might moderate the relationship between global and responsibility attributions and number of conflicts (Roehling & Robin, 1986), this was not the case in the current study.…”

“…This link is plausible, however, due to findings from studies with samples of normative adolescents, adolescents with externalizing disorders, and younger children with ADHD. In normative populations of adolescents, both observational (Mas, Alexander, & Turner, 1991) and self-report (Grace, Kelley, & McCain, 1993;Heatherington, McDonald, Tolejko, & Funk, 2007;López, Chaves, González & Ruiz, 2009) studies showed that increased mother-adolescent conflict was associated with responsibility and/or global attributions about the other's behaviour. Adolescents with externalizing disorders, age 12 to 17, hold more rigid beliefs about parental unfairness, autonomy, and ruination (the belief that catastrophic consequences will result from a minor transgression) than non-referred adolescents (Roehling & Robin,1986).…”

An outcome evaluation of Functional Family Therapy for court‐involved youth

“…On the other hand, unbalanced alliances (parents versus children) had a negative impact on family participation, often resulting in an early drop out (Robbins et al ., ). Overall, these studies reaffirmed that the first stage of FFT is critical in reducing defensive behaviours and blaming, and in increasing the likelihood of the positive therapeutic outcomes for the clients (Mas et al ., ; Robbins et al ., ; Robbins et al ., ; Robbins et al ., ).…”

The Importance of Parental Attributions in Families of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity and Disruptive Behavior Disorders

“…These studies have been conducted with both mothers and fathers, with children ranging from preschool age to adolescence, and have assessed parental attributions offered in the context of clinical interviews, in response to videotapes of their own or unknown child behavior, and in response to written scenarios describing hypothetical children (e.g., Baden & Howe, 1992;Bickett et al, 1996;Dix & Lochman, 1990;Geller & Johnston, 1995a;Grace et al, 1993;Mas, Alexander, & Turner, 1991;Strassberg, 1995). In all of these studies, parents of oppositional or aggressive children are more likely to attribute child misbehavior to causes internal to the child and controllable by the child than are parents of nonproblem children.…”