Product Description:
Background Variability in behaviour displayed by
children with fragile X syndrome (FXS) may be
partially attributable to environmental factors such
as maternal responsivity.The purpose of this study
was to explore variables associated with maternal
behaviour during a task designed to elicit frustration
in their children with FXS.
Methods Forty-six mother?child dyads, in which
the child had full-mutation FXS, were observed in
their homes during a task designed to elicit frustration
in the child. Each child was given a wrong set
of keys and asked to open a box to retrieve a
desired toy. Mothers were provided with the correct
set of keys and instructed to intervene when they
perceived their child was getting too frustrated.
Child-expressed frustration and requests for help
and maternal behaviours (comforting, negative
control, and encouraging/directing) were observed
and coded. Maternal variables (e.g. depression,
stress, education levels), child variables (e.g. autistic
behaviours, age, medication use) and child behaviours
(frustration, requests for help) were explored
as predictors of maternal behaviour.
Results Almost all mothers intervened to help their
children and most used encouraging/directing
behaviours, whereas very few used comforting or
negative control. Child age and child behaviours
during the frustrating event were significant predictors
of encouraging/directing behaviours in the
mothers. Children whose mothers reported higher
depressive symptomology used fewer requests for
help, and mothers of children with more autistic
behaviours used more negative control.
Conclusions The results of this study suggest that
child age and immediate behaviours are more
strongly related to maternal responsivity than
maternal traits such as depression and stress.
