ERIC Number: EJ685656
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2005-Jan
Pages: 16
Abstractor: Author
Reference Count: 61
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0009-3920
Mutual Influence of Marital Conflict and Children's Behavior Problems: Shared and Nonshared Family Risks
Jenkins, Jennifer; Simpson, Anna; Dunn, Judy; Rasbash, Jon; O'Connor, Thomas G.
Child Development, v76 n1 p24-39 Jan 2005
This within-family, longitudinal study including biological and stepfamilies investigated mutual influences between marital conflict and children's behavior problems. Children (4 to 17 years; N296) residing in 127 families drawn from a general population study were investigated at Time 1 and again 2 years later. These nested data were analyzed using multilevel modeling, controlling for previous child behavior or marital conflict. Marital conflict about children predicted change in children's behavior. Children's behavior also predicted an increase in marital conflict, particularly in stepfamilies. Differences between siblings in exposure to conflict and the extent to which siblings were a source of argument increased more in stepfamilies than in biological families. Boys were exposed to more conflict over time than were girls.
Descriptors: Child Behavior, Behavior Problems, Siblings, Conflict, Parent Child Relationship, Longitudinal Studies, Family (Sociological Unit), Marital Satisfaction, Children, Adolescents
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: N/A

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