Parenting Practices and Child Conduct Problems in a Norwegian Subclinical Sample: Variable and <scp>Person‐Centered</scp> Approaches

Abstract

Objective The aims of this study were (a) to examine how different parenting practices connect to each other and to child conduct problems (variable‐centered approach) and (b) to identify groups of parents who share the same parenting style and identify how these relate to child conduct problems (person‐centered approach). Background Substantial evidence indicates that positive parenting practices are associated with lower levels of child conduct problems, whereas negative practices are associated with higher levels of child problem behavior. Research is limited when it comes to examining parenting practices at intake to parent management training in clinical Scandinavian samples. Method Participants were 551 Norwegian parents and their children (aged 3–12 years) with moderate to high levels of conduct problems. Parents reported on child conduct problems and parenting practices. Associations between different parenting practices and child conduct problems were examined using network and latent profile analyses. Results Three latent profiles of parenting were identified, each related to different levels of child conduct problems. The network of practices showed that parental mental distress and harsh discipline were directly associated with higher levels of child conduct problems. The majority of parents were characterized as permissive and displayed a mix of positive and harsh parenting. Conclusion Harsh parenting was related to higher levels of child conduct problems. Discipline skills appeared as especially important in the network analyses. Implications Parent training should address harsh discipline practices and parental mental distress, given that these are associated with more child conduct problems. Discipline skills appeared as the most important targets for changing overall parenting practices.