Links Between Parental Psychological Violence, Other Family Disturbances, and Children's Adjustment

Abstract

In a sample of 143 parent-child dyads from two-parent and separated families, this investigation documented the links between parental psychological violence and separation or divorce, severity of parental conflict, triangulation of the child in this conflict, and polarized parent-child alliances. The unique and combined contributions of all these variables to children's behavior problems were also assessed. Participants were parents, mostly mothers, and their 10-12-year-old child. They were recruited through schools, community organizations, and newspapers. Questionnaires were administered at home. Findings suggest that separated families undergo more relational disturbances than two-parent families (more severe conflicts, more triangulation, stronger parent-child alliances), but the amount of parental psychological violence was similar in both groups. Psychological violence was associated with the severity of parental conflict, especially in two-parent families. Triangulation of the child in parental conflict was another correlate of psychological violence. Once all variables were controlled for, psychological violence remained the only significant correlate of children's externalized behavior problems. These findings raise the importance of preventing psychological violence toward children, especially in families plagued with severe parental conflicts.

Life satisfaction and family functions as-predictors of problematic Internet use in university students

“…Scores on the dimensions of family functioning decreased as Problematic Internet Use scores increased. Previous studies have found a relationship between family functionality and various problems in children and young people (Amodai & Scott, 2002;Avcı, 2006;Gagne, Drapeau, Melancon, & Saint-Jacques, 2007;Hemphill & Littlefield, 2006;Stone, 2005;Straus, Gelles, & Steinmetz, 2009;Thawabieh & Al-Rofo, 2010). Previous studies into family functioning and problematic behaviors in individuals support the results of the present study.…”

Breaking the Links in Intergenerational Violence: An Emotional Regulation Perspective

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Sins of the parents: Self-control as a buffer between supervisors' previous experience of family undermining and subordinates' perceptions of abusive supervision

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