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Threat is a Multidimensional Construct: Exploring the Role of Children’s Threat Appraisals in the Relationship Between Interparental Conflict and Child Adjustment

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Abstract

Past research has emphasised the importance of children’s appraisals of the threat posed by parent conflict for understanding links between interparental conflict and child outcomes. However, little is known about what it is that children actually find threatening about parent conflict. Children (n = 236) aged 10–16 years were recruited to examine the relative contribution of four specific threat subtypes—fear of parent conflict escalating, fear of being drawn into parent conflict, fear of parent conflict resulting in family breakdown, and fear of parent conflict disrupting parent/child attachment relationships—in explaining links between interparental conflict and child internalising adjustment. Results showed that children’s worries about being drawn into parent conflict mediated the relationship between interparental conflict and child internalising adjustment. Fear of interparental conflict disrupting parent/child attachment bonds mediated the relationship between interparental conflict and child internalising problems for girls, but not boys. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of considering multiple dimensions of threat for advancing understanding of the processes underlying the interparental conflict/child adjustment relationship.

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Notes

  1. Variables were initially entered in a 4-step regression model (simple effects followed by interaction terms). Results were substantively the same as those obtained using the 2-step approach, with one exception. While the beta weight for the interaction between gender and attachment threat was significant in the 4-step model, the overall R² change for that step was not significant. As the study is underpowered, the hypotheses are theoretically driven, and the results are meaningful in terms of the hypotheses, it is argued that the significant beta weight is likely to be correct, and the 2-step model was retained to allow clear presentation of findings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia

    Erin R. Atkinson, Heather Chipuer & Sharon Dawe

  2. University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

    Mark R. Dadds

  3. Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, London, UK

    Mark R. Dadds

  4. Mater Children’s Hospital, Kids in Mind Greenslopes Clinic, 34 Curd St, Greenslopes, QLD, Australia, 4120

    Erin R. Atkinson

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  1. Erin R. Atkinson
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  2. Mark R. Dadds
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  3. Heather Chipuer
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  4. Sharon Dawe
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Correspondence to Erin R. Atkinson.

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Atkinson, E.R., Dadds, M.R., Chipuer, H. et al. Threat is a Multidimensional Construct: Exploring the Role of Children’s Threat Appraisals in the Relationship Between Interparental Conflict and Child Adjustment. J Abnorm Child Psychol 37, 281–292 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-008-9275-z

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