This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Arcia, E. Articles by Fernández, M. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Arcia, E. Articles by Fernández, M. C. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

From awareness to acknowledgment: The development of concern among Latina mothers of children with disruptive behaviors

Department of Research, Mt. Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, Florida, earcia{at}aol.com

María C. Fernández

Mailman Center for Child Development, University of Miami, Miami, Florida.

The purpose of this study was to describe the process by which Latina mothers become concerned about their children’s disruptive behaviors and deem professional help to be a necessary measure. A sample fo 62 Latina first-time help seekers were asked to narrate their stories of their children’s behavior, the process by which they became concerned, and their decision to seek professional services. Both qualitative and quantitative measures and procedures were used.

Key findings include the following. Most mothers described onset after age 3.75. Earlier recognition of disruptive behaviors and earlier concern over these were associated with greater perceptions of functional impairment and with a greater degree of maternal distress at the time of the interview. Increases in awareness and in concern were associated with life events such as moving, migration, and changes in family composition. Mothers often assumed these life events to be causally linked to children’s difficulties. Earlier concern did not speed the awareness process. A "saturation point" was a better descriptor of the culmination of maternal concern than "problem recognition" or "problem labeling" School report of negative behavior was the strongest catalyst to problem acknowledgement. Mothers who recognized onset after their children entered school progressed through the concern process significantly faster than mothers who became concerned at younger child ages.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. Arcia, M. C. Fernandez, M. Jaquez, H. Castillo, and M. Ruiz Modes of Entry Into Services for Young Children With Disruptive Behaviors Qual Health Res, November 1, 2004; 14(9): 1211 - 1226. [Abstract] [PDF]