This study examines the association between family variables andvchildhood antisocial behaviour. Social-demographic variables, marital conflict, family stress, parenting styles, social support, and quality and structure of family environment were studied. The sample consisted of 76 families composed by parents and children aged from 6 to 10 years. Five different types of family structure were considered in the study. Results showed that high level of marital conflict and family stress, authoritarian or permissive parenting practices and large family’s conflictive networks were risk factors for antisocial behaviour. However, antisocial behaviour did not show significant relationship with the size of family’s social support network, the quantity and quality of the stimulation that children received at home, the type of family structure, and socialdemographic variables such as parents´ age or economical and educative level. A multiple regression analysis showed that all family predictors explained about 43% of the variability in childhood antisocial behaviour.

Este estudio examina la relación entre diferentes variables familiares y la aparición de conductas antisociales infantiles. La muestra estuvo formada por 76 familias con hijos/as de 6 a 10 años de cinco tipos de estructuras familiares diferentes. Los resultados mostraron que la conducta antisocial infantil estaba asociada con niveles elevados de conflicto marital, estrés familiar, prácticas educativas inadecuadas y con una amplia red familiar de conflicto. En cambio, la conducta antisocial no se encontró relacionada ni con el tamaño de la red de apoyo de la familia, ni con la cantidad y calidad de estimulación ofrecida a los menores en su contexto familiar, ni con el tipo de estructura familiar ni con variables sociodemográficas como la edad de los progenitores, el tamaño familiar o el nivel económico y educativo parental. Un análisis de regresión múltiple mostró que todos los factores familiares evaluados eran capaces de explicar el 43% de la varianza observada en relación con el comportamiento antisocial infantil.