Effects of marital discord on the school behavior of children of schizophrenic, affectively disordered, and normal parents

Abstract

An association between children's school behavior and two family variables, marital discord and parental psychopathology, has been consistently reported in the literature. However, the joint effects of each of these two familial factors has not been closely examined. The present report provides a further examination of the interrelationships among these three variables with particular emphasis on the effects of marital discord on children's school behavior in families with behaviorally disturbed parents. Marital discord was found to account for much of the association between having a parent with bipolar disorder or unipolar depression and problematic school behavior, but the same variable did not explain the relationship between having a schizophrenic parent and problems in school. The implications of these findings for interventions with the children of disturbed parents and for high-risk research are discussed.

Externalizing in preschoolers and early adolescents: A cross-study replication of a family model.

“…Although families in these two samples came from a nonclinic population, which may have different family process patterns than families in a clinic group, at least one study of parents with clinically diagnosed depressive disorders reported similar links between the parents' distress and the children's through marital discord, on children's problem behavior at school (Emery, Weintraub, & Neale, 1982). This evidence suggests that links among parents' depressive symptomatology, negative couple relationships, and children's disruptive behavior may be similar in clinic and nonclinic families.…”

'Young Carers' and Disabled Parents: Time for a change of direction?

“…With parental disability also, the impact on children is often more moderate and more variable than proposed. Where families are not seriously affected by poverty and marital discord, the impact of parental disorders on children is greatly moderated (Emery et al, 1982;Buck, 1983;Ferrari, 1984;Hirsch et al, 1985;Roy, 1991;Goodman et al, 1993;Hall, 1996). When both short-and long-term effects occur, the most common precipitating factor is maternal psychological problems, notably affective and bipolar disorders (Gopfert et al, 1996), a Downloaded by [University of Illinois Chicago] at 21:39 30 November 2014 dif culty with a steep social class gradient and hence compounded by multiple social disadvantages (Brown & Harris, 1978).…”

Critical Issues for Parents with Mental Illness and their Families

“…Marital discord predicts a host of child and adolescent problems, including lower academic performance, poor social skills, and conduct problems (Downey & Coyne;Emery, Weintraub, & Neale, 1982;Fendrich et al). Investigations attempting to distinguish between the effect of marital discord and depression have found that discord rather than depression may be the stronger predictor of child problems (Caplan, 1989;Emery et al). Thus, interventions for couples in which one or both parents are depressed may be particularly beneficial for children.…”

“…Marital discord and divorce are more common among families in which a parent has a mental illness, and adversely effect both the ill parent and children (Downey & Coyne, 1990;Fendrich, Warner & Weissman, 1990;Weintraub). Marital discord predicts a host of child and adolescent problems, including lower academic performance, poor social skills, and conduct problems (Downey & Coyne;Emery, Weintraub, & Neale, 1982;Fendrich et al). Investigations attempting to distinguish between the effect of marital discord and depression have found that discord rather than depression may be the stronger predictor of child problems (Caplan, 1989;Emery et al).…”