The Interactive Effects of Marital Conflict and Divorce on Parent – Adult Children's Relationships |
| |
Authors: | Tianyi Yu Gregory S Pettit Jennifer E Lansford Kenneth A Dodge John E Bates |
| |
Institution: | 1. University of Michigan;2. Auburn University *;3. Duke University **;4. Indiana University *** |
| |
Abstract: | This study examines main effect and interactive models of the relations between marital conflict, divorce, and parent – adult child relationships and gender differences in these relations. Data were drawn from a longitudinal study of a community sample (N = 585). Parental marital conflict and divorce were measured from age 5 through age 17 years. Mother‐child and father‐child relationship quality at age 22 years was assessed in terms of closeness‐support and conflict‐control. Results indicated that both marital conflict and divorce are associated with poorer quality parent – adult child relationships. Divorce moderated the link between marital conflict and subsequent negativity in mother‐child relationships, with the estimated effects being stronger in continuously married families than in divorced families, especially for women. |
| |
Keywords: | conflict divorce gender parent‐child relations structural equation modeling |
|