Weisz et al. (1987)

Question 1

overcontrolled vs. undercontrolled behaviour problems

Answer 1

• Overcontrolled problems: somaticizing, fearfulness, nervous movement, worrying
• • similar to internalizing behaviour problems
• Undercontrolled problems: disobedience, fighting, lying, arguing
• • similar to undercontrolled behaviour problems

Question 2

what would the results have had to show in order for researchers to conclude that the results supported the “adult distress threshold” model? Explain

Answer 2

• Thai children would have been referred for more undercontrolled behaviours (since according to the model, the threshold for overcontrolled behaviours is higher in Thai culture), and American children would have been referred for more overcontrolled behaviours (since according to the model, the threshold for undercontrolled behaviours is higher in American culture)
• In other words, cultural values will influence our tolerance for certain behaviour. Because Thais have lower threshold for undercontrolled behaviours compared to overcontrolled behaviours, they’ll refer more for undercontrolled behaviours (and vice versa) because those aren’t consistent with cultural values

Question 3

What would the results have had to show in order for the researchers to conclude that their results supported the suppression-facilitation model? Why?

Answer 3

Thai children would have had been referred more for overcontrolled behaviours (since according to the model, Thai parents discourage undercontrolled behaviours, so Thai children have to suppress those behaviours and may express more overcontrolled behaviours as a result) and American children would have had been referred more for undercontrolled behaviours (since according to the model, American parents discourage overcontrolled behaviours, so American children would have to suppress those behaviours and may express more undercontrolled behaviours as a result)

Question 4

what where the 4 objectives of this study?

Answer 4

• To test whether the suppression-facilitation model, the threshold model, or neither, provided an appropriate framework for understanding the influence of culture on child clinic referral patterns
• To explore the role of developmental level alone and in interaction with culture
• To explore the role of sex in under- and overcontrolled behaviour problems
• To examine the relation between referral problems and urban vs. rural living environments

Question 5

objective 1: what were the significant effects of culture on child behaviour?

Answer 5

• culture -> overcontrolled problems (more for Thai)

- culture -> undercontrolled problems (more for US)

Question 6

objective 2: what were the significant universal effects of age on child behaviour?

Answer 6

• age -> overcontrolled problems (more for adolescents)

- age -> undercontrolled problems (more for kids)

Question 7

objective 2: what were the significant culture-specific effects of age on child behaviour?

Answer 7

• age -> culture (mod) -> total behaviour problems (In US, kids had more problems relative to teens; reverse for Thailand)
• age -> overcontrolled problems (In Thailand, more overcontrolled problems for teens; in US, no difference btwn kids and teens)

Question 8

objective 3: what were the significant universal effects of sex on child behaviour?

Answer 8

• sex -> overcontrolled problems (more for girls)
• sex -> undercontrolled problems (more for boys)
• no significant culture-specific effects

Question 9

objective 4: what were the significant universal effects of environment on child behaviour?

Answer 9

• environment -> overcontrolled behaviours (more for rural)

Question 10

objective 4: what were the significant culture-specific effects of environment on child behaviour?

Answer 10

• environment -> culture (mod) -> total behaviour problems (in the US, more problems for urban; in Thailand, more problems for rural)

Question 11

what was the most common school problem reported by all participants (Thai and US)?

Answer 11

poor school performance (undercontrolled)

Question 12

why do the findings support a problem-suppression-facilitation model?

Answer 12

• Because that model states that the characteristics of a culture (ie. values, beliefs, etc.) may suppress the development of certain types of child behaviour problems and facilitate the development of others, and the findings showed that overcontrolled problems were much more common in the Thai sample and that undercontrolled problems were much more common in the US sample
• • aka: thai parents more likely to facilitate overcontrolled and suppress undercontrolled (and vice versa)

Question 13

What was a cultural similarity with respect to sex differences?

Answer 13

In both cultures, undercontrolled problems were more common for boys, and overcontrolled problems were more common for girls

Question 14

do the findings of this study support the stereotype that boys have more behaviour problems than girls? why?

Answer 14

No - researchers failed to find any sex differences on total number of behaviour problems