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Cited by 275Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentAttachment and Relationship DynamicsFamily Dynamics and Relationships

Children’s Responses to Interparental Conflict: A Meta-Analysis of Their Associations With Child Adjustment

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Rhoades, Kimberly A·2008·Child Development
DOI 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01235.xPMC PMC2597571
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Abstract

A meta-analysis examined the relations between children’s adjustment and children’s cognitive, affective, behavioral, and physiological responses to interparental conflict. Studies included children between 5 and 19 years of age. Moderate effect sizes were found for the associations between cognitions and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems and self-esteem problems, negative affect and behavioral responses and internalizing behavior problems, and behavioral responses and self-esteem problems. Small to moderate effect sizes were found for the associations between cognitions and relational problems, negative affect and behavioral responses and externalizing behavior problems, and physiological reactions and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Effect sizes were, with 1 exception, larger for internalizing than for externalizing behavior problems. Age significantly moderated the majority of effect sizes.

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  • Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the effects of interparental conflict compared to younger children.

    “given findings that adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the effects of interparental conflict as compared to younger children”

    From Mindfulness Interventions to Reduce Impact of Interparental Conflict on Adolescents. (2020) · cites this paper as Rhoades 2008

    The Discussion reports that older children had stronger associations between their responses to interparental conflict and adjustment problems than younger children, and contrasts elementary-age children with adolescents. It does not establish that interparental conflict itself has a stronger effect on adolescents than on younger children; the measured age difference concerns the link between responses and adjustment. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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Research works printed but not linked: 14

  1. Ablow JC Marital conflict: Young children’s perceptions and adjustment Dissertation Abstracts International 1997 59 3B 1356 (UMI No. 9828574)
  2. Anthony CM Interparental conflict styles and youth problem behavior: The role of selected youth appraisal variables Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering 2000 61 1-A 381
  3. Blasey CM Measuring young children’s coping responses to interparental conflict Dissertation Abstracts International Section B: The Sciences and Engineering 1997 57 9-B 5943
  4. Connell AM Marital conflict and child adjustment problems: Links with children’s social information processing and regulation of emotional arousal Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering 2004 64 8-B 4028
  5. Davies PT Children’s emotional security as a mediator of the link between marital conflict and child adjustment Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering 1996 57 6-B 4053
  6. Dominguez ML Children’s perceptions of and reactions to marital conflict and violence Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering 1996 56 9-B 5194
  7. Donaldson DL Children’s perceived control and coping strategies in response to interparental conflict Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering 1996 56 10-B 5762
  8. Dukewich TL Examining affect and cognition as mechanisms underlying the marital conflict-child adjustment relationship Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Science and Engineering 2001 62 3-B 1615
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  10. Gilliom LA Children’s appraisals of interparental conflict, perceived control and internalizing symptoms Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering 1998 58 7-B 3922
  11. Grych JH Fincham FD IPC and child development: Theory, research, and application 2001 Cambridge University Press New York
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  13. Stephens NS Children of battered women: Mother/male partner conflict, child self-blame attributions and child behavior problems Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering 1995 55 10-B 4615
  14. Tarnell A Children’s perceptions of marital conflict and their self-esteem, peer relationships, and social competence Dissertation Abstracts International Section B: The Sciences and Engineering 2003 64 4B 1944

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Authors
Rhoades, K. A.
Affiliations
Stony Brook University (US)
Corresponding author
Rhoades, Kimberly A
ORCID
Rhoades, Kimberly A
Venue
Child Development
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2008-11-01
Volume
79
Issue
6
Pages
1942-1956
ISSN
  • 0009-3920 (ISSN-L)
  • 1467-8624
DOI
10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01235.x
PMC
PMC2597571
OpenAlex
W2155608666
Cited by
271
References
83
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 14
FWCI
0.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Child Development (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (R21MH068427)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
Keywords
parental conflict, child adjustment, internalizing problems, externalizing problems, self-esteem, negative affect, behavioral responses, physiological responses, cognitive responses, age differences, parent-child relationship
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Affect, Child, Child Behavior Disorders, Conflict, Psychological, Humans, Parent-Child Relations, Parents, Self Concept

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