Aggressive marital conflict, maternal harsh punishment, and child aggressive-disruptive behavior: Evidence for direct and mediated relations.

Abstract

Direct associations between aggressive marital conflict and child aggressive-disruptive behavior at home and school were explored in this cross-sectional study of 360 kindergarten children. In addition, mediated pathways linking aggressive marital conflict to maternal harsh punishment to child aggressive-disruptive behavior were examined. Moderation analyses explored how the overall frequency of marital disagreement might buffer or exacerbate the impact of aggressive marital conflict on maternal harsh punishment and child aggressive-disruptive behavior. Hierarchical regressions revealed direct pathways linking aggressive marital conflict to child aggressivedisruptive behavior at home and school and a partially mediated pathway linking aggressive marital conflict to child aggressive-disruptive behavior at home. Further analyses revealed that rates of marital disagreement moderated the association between aggressive marital conflict and child aggressive-disruptive behavior at home, with an attenuated association at high rates of marital disagreement as compared with low rates of marital disagreement.Keywords marital conflict; marital disagreement; punishment; aggressive behavior Children exposed to marital conflict often show significant behavioral maladjustment, particularly elevated aggressive-disruptive behavior problems and conflictual relationships with siblings and peers (for review, see Cummings & Davies, 1994;Grych & Fincham, 1990). Exposure to marital conflict is upsetting to children and appears to elicit negative behavioral reactions through direct and mediated pathways. For example, Miller, Cowan, Cowan, Hetherington, and Clingempeel (1993) found a direct path from marital conflict to child externalizing behavior. In contrast, Mann and MacKenzie (1996) found only an indirect effect of overt marital conflict on child oppositional behavior during middle childhood, which was mediated by parent-reported rejection and inept discipline. Finally, Buehler and Gerard (2002) found both direct and mediated paths of influence, with parental reports of involvement and harsh discipline partially mediating the relationship between marital conflict and their preschoolers' global maladjustment. NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author ManuscriptThe direct and mediated effects of marital conflict on child maladjustment appear dependent, in part, on its form of expression (Cummings & Davies, 1994;Grych & Fincham, 1990). Marital conflict that involves physical aggression, nonverbal or verbal hostility, or threat to the intactness of the family has been described as "destructive" because it is linked with child reactive distress and aggressive behavior (Cummings, Goeke-Morey, & Papp, 2003, 2004. In the present study, we examined the aggressive dimension of destructive marital conflict: nonverbal, verbal, and physical expressions of hostility toward a spouse. Aggressive marital conflict fits within the broader construct of destructive marital conflict, representing the overtly hostile interp...

Conflitos conjugais e familiares e presença de transtorno de déficit de atenção e hiperatividade (TDAH) na prole: revisão sistemática

“…Pesquisas têm documentado associações entre relacionamentos familiares -incluindo as relações maritais e entre pais e filhos -e problemas de ajustamento em crianças (Erel;Burman, 1995;Harold;Conger, 1997;Erath, et al, 2006). Alguns estudos demonstraram que o estabelecimento de uma relação conjugal insatisfatória pode ocasionar diversas conseqüências diretas e indiretas, tanto para os casais quanto para seus filhos (Gottman, 1993).…”

Hostile behavior links negative childhood family relationships to heart rate reactivity and recovery in young adulthood

“…The behavioral component of hostility, aggression, has been observed among children exposed to poor quality family environments (Andreas and Watson, 2009) and “destructive” conflicts (Cummings et al, 2004). Modeling of aggressive tactics in the home has been hypothesized to provide children with a framework by which to respond to other conflicts, and studies have observed direct effects of parental marital aggression on children’s aggressive behaviors at home and school (Erath and Bierman, 2006). Researchers have also theorized that negative interactions with caregivers disrupt children’s ability to self-regulate their emotions, leading to aggressive behavior (Cummings et al, 2004).…”

Spillover between interparental conflict and parent–child conflict within and across days.

“…The spillover hypothesis proposes that negativity aroused in one family sub-system is likely to bleed over into other family sub-systems (Engfer, 1988). Understanding the bidirectional spillover in conflict between the interparental relationship and the parent-child relationship is essential given the documented impact of these processes on children’s emotional and behavioral outcomes (e.g., Buehler, Benson, & Gerard, 2006; Cui & Conger, 2008; Erath, Bierman, & the Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group, 2006). …”

“…Prior studies have shown links among interparental conflict, parenting, and multiple negative child outcomes, including aggression (e.g., Erath et al, 2006). This research suggests that the families of children at-risk for aggression will have more interparental conflict and parent-child conflict compared to the families of typical children.…”