Abstract:
Existing research identifies preschoolers with communication delays as a population at
risk for the development of behavioural concerns. This risk increases when additional
environmental factors such as parental stress and family conflict are also present. Research has
also shown that behavioural concerns can be stable over time when they develop early. However,
early intervention has been shown to be effective in addressing these concerns. The effectiveness
of early intervention in addressing both child and family outcomes increases when interventions
are delivered in a family-centred approach. This research project made use of data related to
child behaviour and parenting, gathered through the Family Resource Project which explored the
parenting experiences and resource access and allocation decisions of families who have
preschool children with and without communication delays. Cluster analysis was used to explore
whether there were identifiable clusters of children and families within each sample. Interview
data fi"om each identified family cluster was then explored further, to identify how parents
described their child's behaviour and their experience of parenting. Results show that, within this
sample, parents of preschoolers with communication delays described their child's behaviour and
their experience of parenting differently than did parents of children without communication
delays. Results also showed that within this sample parents experiencing parental stress and/or
family conflict described their child's behaviour and their experience of parenting differently than
did parents from other clusters. Results suggest support for early intervention and the use of
family-centred intervention, particularly for families of children with communication delays.
