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Partner aggression and children's externalizing problems: maternal and partner warmth as protective factors
Nancy A Skopp1, Renee McDonald, Ernest N Jouriles
1Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275-0442, USA. nskopp@smu.edu
Summary
Maternal and partner warmth can buffer children against the negative effects of intimate partner aggression. Higher warmth protects children from externalizing problems linked to aggression.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Family Studies
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Intimate partner aggression (IPA) negatively impacts children's development.
- The role of parental warmth in mitigating these effects requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how maternal and partner warmth moderate the association between IPA and children's externalizing problems.
- To understand gender differences in these moderating effects.
Main Methods:
- 157 mother-child dyads (children aged 7-9 years) participated.
- Data collected on intimate partner aggression and children's externalizing behaviors.
- Statistical analyses used to test moderation effects.
Main Results:
- Maternal warmth moderated the link between IPA and externalizing problems, particularly for child-reported issues and girls' externalizing behaviors.
- Partner warmth also moderated the association, but in the opposite direction for child-reported externalizing problems.
- Higher partner warmth was associated with increased externalizing problems when IPA was high.
Conclusions:
- Both maternal and partner warmth play a crucial role in child development amidst family conflict.
- Interventions should consider promoting warmth within relationships to protect children from aggression's adverse outcomes.
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