Decline in the Quality of Family Relationships Predicts Escalation in Children’s Internalizing Symptoms from Middle to Late Childhood

Abstract

An integration of family systems perspectives with developmental psychopathology provides a framework for examining the complex interplay between family processes and developmental trajectories of child psychopathology over time. In a community sample of 98 families, we investigated the evolution of family relationships, across multiple subsystems of the family (i.e., interparental, mother-child, father-child), and the impact of these changing family dynamics on developmental trajectories of child internalizing symptoms over 6 years, from preschool age to pre-adolescence. Parent–child relationship quality was observed during lengthy sessions, consisting of multiple naturalistic, carefully scripted contexts. Each parent completed reports about interparental relationship satisfaction and child internalizing symptoms. To the extent that mothers experienced a steeper decline in interparental relationship satisfaction over time, children developed internalizing symptoms at a faster rate. Further, symptoms escalated at a faster rate to the extent that negative mother-child relationship quality increased (more negative affect expressed by both mother and child, greater maternal power assertion) and positive mother-child relationship quality decreased (less positive affect expressed by both mother and child, less warmth and positive reciprocity). Time-lagged growth curve analyses established temporal precedence such that decline in family relationships preceded escalation in child internalizing symptoms. Results suggest that family dysfunction, across multiple subsystems, represents a driving force in the progression of child internalizing symptoms.

Empathic Responses to Mother’s Emotions Predict Internalizing Problems in Children of Depressed Mothers

“…Indeed, children’s empathic engagement with others’ emotions facilitates their understanding of these emotions (62) and promotes prosocial behavior and strong interpersonal relationships (1, 63). Furthermore, positivity and warmth in the mother-child relationship has been found to buffer against the escalation of internalizing problems from early to late childhood (64). It is interesting to note that positive empathy is the one type of empathy that was related to internalizing problems in both children of depressed and nondepressed mothers, supporting the salience of mothers’ positive emotions to young children (50).…”

Couple interaction and child social competence: The role of parenting and attachment

“…The current study contributes to this body of literature by examining the effects of positive couple interaction on positive child behavior over time, as many studies have investigated the link between couple conflict and poor child outcomes (Bradford, Vaughn, & Barber, ; Brock & Kochanska, ; Davies et al, ; Hentges, Davies, & Cicchetti, ; Rhoades, ; Richmond & Stocker, ). In addition, the direct effects of couple interaction, parenting, and attachment on child social competence have each been recognized in previous research (Goldberg & Carlson, ; Heinonen et al, ; Veríssimo, Santos, Fernandes, Shin, & Vaughn, ).…”

Behavioral Couples Treatment for Substance Use Disorder: Secondary Effects on the Reduction of Youth Internalizing Symptoms

“…In line with EST, family discord and conflict may undermine the child’s sense of security and contribute to the development of child and adolescent internalizing problems (Emery, 1999; Kane & Garber, 2004; Katz & Gottman, 1993). Family systems are fluid, however, and declines in marital adjustment have been linked to increases in children’s internalizing symptoms over time (e.g., Brock & Kochanska, 2015). In one of the few studies that examined the secondary effects of individual substance abuse treatment for alcoholic fathers on their children, treatment was associated with parents’ reports of improvements in youth emotional and behavioral functioning (Andreas & O’Farrell, 2007).…”