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Socialization of Children’s Recall and Use of Strategies for Coping with Interparental Conflict

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Abstract

Using experimental, observational and interview-assessment methods, we examined relations among mother–child discussion skills and suggested strategies for coping with postdivorce interparental conflict in a conflict task, children’s memory for those strategies in a later recall interview, and children’s self-reported use of coping strategies in response to parental conflict at home. Participants included 50, 9–12 year-old children (50% female, 11% Mexican-American, 81% Euro-American, 8% other) and their mothers. Results indicated that the frequency of suggested coping strategies in the conflict task significantly predicted children’s later recall of the same strategies, and recalled strategies significantly predicted children’s self-reported use of the same strategies at home. Mothers’ and children’s discussion skills were less robust predictors of coping, except for secondary control and disengagement coping at-home. Gender and age differences, though few, were consistent with existing literature.

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Acknowledgments

We especially want to acknowledge the important contributions made by the following ASU undergraduate research assistants to this phase of the project: Kathy Bliss, Joy Bruning, Julie Charochak, Talin Gasperian, Angela Hegerfeld, Carol Lampe, Karen Lovascivo, Shari Mellot, Patti Ryan, Sharla Personey, Suzanna Marquez, Sara Rieble, Sally Tompkins, and Kathleen Warring. This work was supported by an Arizona State University internal research grant and a small NIMH-funded project to the first author, as part of a larger NIMH grant (5P30 MH39246-12) awarded to the Prevention Research Center, Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Irwin Sandler, PI.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Program, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Arizona State University at the West Campus, Box 37100, W. Thunderbird Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85069-7100, USA

    Paul A. Miller

  2. Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Box 842018, Richmond, VA, USA

    Wendy Kliewer

  3. Phoenix Complex, Arizona State Hospital, 2500 E. Van Buren, Phoenix, AZ, 85008, USA

    Jenifer Partch

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  1. Paul A. Miller
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Correspondence to Paul A. Miller.

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Miller, P.A., Kliewer, W. & Partch, J. Socialization of Children’s Recall and Use of Strategies for Coping with Interparental Conflict. J Child Fam Stud 19, 429–443 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-009-9314-6

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