Long-term interparental conflict behavior and knowledge change after a brief family intervention.

Abstract

To address a gap in the translational research on marital and family conflict intervention, we used a series of multilevel models to examine how interparental constructive conflict behavior, conflict resolution, and conflict knowledge improved up to 3 years postintervention in the Family Communication Project (FCP). The FCP was an experimental, longitudinal intervention focused on family conflict, communication, and adolescent adjustment. Participants consisted of adolescents and their two primary caregivers (N = 225 families). Each family was randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups (parent-adolescent or parent only) or two control groups (self-study or no treatment). Relative to controls, who showed no statistically significant improvement in conflict behavior, resolution, or knowledge, parents in the two-treatment conditions showed improvement in a nonlinear fashion. Modeled with piece-wise slopes, average change trajectories showed statistically significant increases from pretest to posttest, followed by declines but overall significant sustained growth by 3 years. Baseline marital hostility moderated this change, whereby couples who had higher levels of baseline marital hostility responded more favorably to treatment, but also declined more rapidly. Fathers in the study were shown to have stronger long-term treatment effects for conflict knowledge relative to mothers, and higher marital adjustment among fathers at baseline predicted less decline in dyadic conflict resolution after the intervention. The results highlight how examining within-family changes over time and between-family differences in change trajectories can contribute to practical insights about when and for whom interventions are most effective.

Parental Attachment and Psychosocial Adjustment in Adolescents Exposed to Marital Conflict

“…This result implies the need to involve fathers, particularly in risky contexts, in both preventive parenting programs and psychotherapeutic processes. Additionally, according to Devonshire et al [ 54 ], couple and family interventions aimed at constructive conflict resolution are recommended. At the psychotherapeutic level, in line with Minuchin [ 55 ], a systemic approach to address family difficulties is supported.…”

Interparental conflict and adolescent emotional security across family structures

“…Thus, clinicians and researchers need to work together to evaluate other strategies to promote youth mental health in the context of “breakthrough” IPC events. Possible targets include: (1) increasing the youth's capacity to cope with IPC, particularly the difficult emotions and maladaptive cognitions it provokes, (2) increasing the parents' use of constructive conflict strategies (Cummings et al, 2008; Cummings & Schatz, 2012; Cummings & Wilson, 1999; Devonshire et al, 2022), and (3) teaching parents to be sensitive and responsive to their children's fears, such as reassuring them that the conflict will be resolved and they will be cared for by both parents indefinitely. Empirical studies to test the effects of these strategies will bolster the public health impact of interventions for youth exposed to high levels of IPC.…”