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Parental conflict and other correlates of the adjustment of school-age children whose parents have separated

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology volume 15, pages 269–281 (1987)Cite this article

Abstract

In this study, several factors related to psychological adjustment of schoolage children were examined in a sample of 40 lower-class families in which the parents were separated. It was hypothesized that parental conflict and other indices of family adversity, including maternal depression, income, and the length of time past since parental separation, would be important predictors of children's behavioral adjustment. Parental acrimony was found to be a significant correlate of children's behavioral problems, even when other family variables were taken into account. In addition, independent and additive effects on children's functioning were found for parental discord and maternal depression, with some support found for an additional variable, family income. In contrast to some prior investigations, the length of time since parental separation was unrelated to children's functioning. Results are discussed in terms of Rutter's cumulative stress hypothesis and previous research on parental discord.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Gilmer Hall, 22901, Charlottesville, Virginia

    Daniel S. Shaw & Robert E. Emery

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  1. Daniel S. Shaw
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  2. Robert E. Emery
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This research was supported in part by a grant to Robert E. Emery from the William T. Grant Foundation.

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Shaw, D.S., Emery, R.E. Parental conflict and other correlates of the adjustment of school-age children whose parents have separated. J Abnorm Child Psychol 15, 269–281 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00916354

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00916354

Keywords

  • Family Income
  • Schoolage Child
  • Behavioral Problem
  • Prior Investigation
  • Maternal Depression