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Does Positivity Matter? The Impact of Interparental Interactions on Young Adult Conflict Management

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Abstract

The main purpose of our study was to examine the impact of positive inter-parental interactions on the conflict management of young adults. Based on social cognitive theory (SCT), it was hypothesized that exposure to interparental positive interactions would mediate the intergenerational transmission of conflict. The findings only partially supported SCT and provided evidence for intergenerational transmission of conflict. However positivity did not buffer this association. Important contributions of this study include a better theoretical understanding of positivity in relationships and evidence for the intergenerational transmission of positive and negative conflict management tactics. Implications for researchers, clinicians, and educators are presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child and Family Studies, California State University, Los Angeles, 5151 University State Drive, Los Angeles, CA, 91132, USA

    Raquel Delevi

  2. Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA

    Thomas Cornille & Ming Cui

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  1. Raquel Delevi
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  2. Thomas Cornille
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  3. Ming Cui
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Correspondence to Raquel Delevi.

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Delevi, R., Cornille, T. & Cui, M. Does Positivity Matter? The Impact of Interparental Interactions on Young Adult Conflict Management. Contemp Fam Ther 34, 124–140 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-012-9179-5

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