Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-p566r Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-27T16:03:53.017Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

9 - Interparental Conflict and Parent–Child Relationships

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2010

John H. Grych
Affiliation:
Marquette University, Wisconsin
Frank D. Fincham
Affiliation:
State University of New York, Buffalo
Get access

Summary

A considerable body of literature documents the relation between marital conflict and emotional and behavioral problems in children (e.g., Cummings & Davies, 1994; Emery, 1982; Grych & Fincham, 1990). The field has now moved on to consider the mechanisms and processes through which marital conflict undermines the emotional and behavioral competence of children (Fincham, 1994). Much of the theorizing about such processes has centered on the parent–child relationship, and numerous studies have examined whether marital conflict influences child development because of its impact on the parent–child relationship. Although this is a seemingly straightforward question, it is more complex than it first appears to be. Our understanding of human development is as much dependent upon asking the appropriate questions as it is on finding the answers. We propose that systems theory will be helpful in generating the appropriate questions.

Systems theories as applied to family or individual development (Cox & Paley, 1997; Sameroff, 1994) lead to a consideration of the mutual influence between family relationships. Systems perspectives suggest the importance of the constant interplay over time between levels and elements of a system. Thus, we should be asking not only how marital conflict affects parent–child relationships, but also how the development of parent–child relationships feeds back into the course of the marital relationship. Does conflict in the parent–child relationship lead to marital conflict? Does the nature of the parent–child relationship affect children's responses to marital conflict?

Type
Chapter
Information
Interparental Conflict and Child Development
Theory, Research and Applications
, pp. 249 - 272
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×