Childhood behaviour problems in urban Sudan

Abstract

Exploring the role of culture in human development and psychopathy, the present thesis examined the relationship between Sudanese children's behaviour problems and their socio-cultural context. This involved two stages. First, a qualitative investigation into the Sudanese adult's views of normal and abnormal child development was undertaken. There was unanimity that religious and cultural beliefs mediate concepts of normal and abnormal development and intercede patterns of child-care. In the second stage a larger quantitative study was conducted with the aim of developing an instrument that would provide a valid and reliable measure to identify the children's behaviour deviance in the Sudanese context.

Sudanese parents and teachers completed behaviour rating scales on a stratified sample of 300 children. These instruments were based on Conners' original questionnaires and were adopted to include items thought to be relevant to Sudanese culture. Following item analysis and exclusion, the reliability, factor structure and internal consistency of a 34 item teacher questionnaire and a 64 item parent questionnaire were explored.

Both instruments produced an intuitively appealing and reliable factor structure. As far as linguistic and conceptual equivalence with previous studies in different cultures was concerned it appeared that the Sudanese teachers' views of problems mirrored their western counterparts more closely than did the parents. As with studies in other countries teachers ratings produced a clear distinction between externalising and internalising problems and within these bands, a distinction between hyperactivity and conduct problems and between anxiety and sadness/depression. However, the structure of parent's ratings did not produce such clear cut distinctions. For instance, there were no clear conduct problem or hyperactivity factors.

In line with an ecological approach this thesis also examined the structural socio-demographic aspects and their effect on family structure, parenting, and patterns of child behaviour problems.

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