Parent and Teacher Perceptions of Severity and Impairment Based on Childhood Mental Health Disorder Labels

Date

2016-08

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Abstract

The current study sought to investigate how emotional and behavioral disorder (EBD) diagnostic labels affect parent and teacher perceptions of disorder severity, treatment need, and extent of academic impairment. Children with emotional or behavioral disorders are at greater risk for negative academic, social, and occupational outcomes (American Psychiatric Association [ApA], 2013; Satcher, 2000), and the number of diagnosed children has been growing (Brauner & Stephens, 2006). While diagnostic labels can serve as an efficient system of identification and communication about mental health disorders, diagnostic labeling may also produce negative effects related to pre-existing stereotypes associated with a particular label (Hinshaw, 2005; Sattler, 2002). Children may be treated differently, or even stigmatized, by their parents and teachers when their diagnostic label is known (e.g., Bianco, 2005; Levin, Arluke, & Smith, 1982; Moses, 2010; Ohan, Visser, Moss, & Allen, 2013). Negative perceptions from adults (and subsequent behavior in reaction to those perceptions) based on diagnostic labels are related to lower grades, diminished self-esteem, increased disruptive behavior, and peer and familial rejection in children and adolescents (e.g., Brophy & Good, 1970; Jussim & Harber, 2005; Moses, 2010; Sutherland, Lewis-Palmer, Stichter & Morgan, 2008). However, Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory and research suggests that positive bonds developed between adults (i.e., parent and teacher) and children may help to buffer the risk for problematic behaviors and overall negative outcomes for youth (Doren, Gau, & Lindstrom, 2012; Jussim, 1986). Thus, given the amount of influence they may have in shaping the lives and futures of youth (either positively or negatively), it is critical to understand parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of children diagnosed with emotional or behavioral disorders.
The first aim of this study was to establish psychometric properties for the researcher-developed perception survey used, the Comeaux Measure of Diagnosis Perceptions (C-MoDP), using a Principal Component Analysis with varimax rotation and Cronbach alpha. Adequate reliability and moderate validity estimates were obtained on the diagnosis severity and extent of academic impairment variables, but due to weak reliability and validity outcomes for the treatment need variable, it was eliminated from the analysis. The second aim of this study was to expand on the current literature base by undertaking a vignette study to examine and compare parent (n = 169) and teacher (n = 233) perceptions about diagnostic severity and academic impairment. Within presented vignettes, two categories of EBDs were presented: emotional (i.e., mood) disorders and behavioral disorders. Results of the Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and post-hoc tests revealed that, although parents and teachers did not significantly differ in their perceptions, overall, emotional disorders (i.e., BD and DMDD) were perceived more negatively than behavioral disorders (i.e., ADHD and ODD) on the diagnostic severity scale. The results, however, did not support the hypothesis that parent and teacher participants’ perceptions of extent of academic impairment would significantly differ based on the diagnostic group received.
Overall, results suggest that the varying levels of perceptions reported by the parents and teachers in this study were moderately influenced by the diagnostic group/label provided. Findings from this study may help to elucidate parent and teacher perceptions surrounding EBD labels. Ultimately, this may inform intervention with or psychoeducation for parents and teachers in order to address negative perceptions of youth diagnosed with EBDs.

Description

Keywords

Perception, Parents, Teachers, Emotional Disorders, Behavioral Disorders, Mood disorders, Childhood, Mental disorders, Mental health

Citation