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Everyday marital conflict and child aggression
E Mark Cummings1, Marcie C Goeke-Morey, Lauren M Papp
1Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA. cummings.10@nd.edu
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
|May 29, 2004
Summary
Exposure to destructive marital conflict increases children's aggression, while constructive conflict decreases it. Threatening conflict topics also heighten child aggression, impacting behavior problems.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Marital conflict is a significant environmental stressor for children.
- Understanding children's immediate reactions to parental conflict is crucial for developmental outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine children's immediate aggressive responses to witnessing marital conflict.
- To investigate the influence of conflict characteristics and parental emotionality on child aggression.
Main Methods:
- Diary records from 108 families (mothers and fathers) over 15 days documented children's reactions.
- Children's responses to simulated marital conflict tactics were assessed in a laboratory setting.
- Data analyzed for associations between conflict exposure and child aggression.
Main Results:
- Exposure to destructive marital conflict tactics and negative parental emotionality predicted increased child aggression.
- Constructive conflict tactics and positive parental emotionality were associated with decreased child aggression.
- Conflict topics perceived as threatening to the child amplified aggressive responses.
Conclusions:
- Children's aggressive responding to marital conflict is influenced by the nature of the conflict and parental emotional displays.
- Aggressive reactions to conflict, both at home and in laboratory settings, predict externalizing behavior problems.
- Findings support an exposure hypothesis linking marital conflict to child aggression.