Transactional cascades of destructive interparental conflict, children's emotional insecurity, and psychological problems across childhood and adolescence

Abstract

This study examined the transactional interplay among dimensions of destructive interparental conflict (i.e., hostility and dysphoria), children's emotional insecurity, and their psychological problems from middle childhood and adolescence. Participants were 232 families, with the first of five measurement occasions occurring when children were in first grade (M age = 7 years). Cross-lagged, autoregressive models were conducted with a multiple-method, multiple-informant measurement approach to identify developmental cascades of interparental and child cascades. Results indicated that emotional insecurity was a particularly powerful mediator of prospective associations between interparental conflict (i.e., dysphoria and hostility) and child adjustment during adolescence rather than childhood. In reflecting bidirectionality in relationships between interparental and child functioning, children's psychological problems predicted increases in interparental dysphoria during childhood and adolescence. Although emotional insecurity was not identified as a proximal predictor of interparental difficulties, an indirect cascade was identified whereby insecurity in early adolescence was associated with increases in teen psychological problems, which in turn predicted greater interparental dysphoria over time. Results are interpreted in the context of how they advance transactional formulation of emotional security theory and its resulting translational implications for clinical initiatives.

A biopsychosocial approach to processes and pathways in the development of overweight and obesity in childhood: Insights from developmental theory and research

“…The examination of transactional process in child development is prominent in recent research . It is illustrated by results from Tiberio et al who investigated the child temperament characteristic of effortful control and both positive parenting and poor discipline.…”

“…In addition, attachment theory and family systems theory, which are prominent in developmental science, could be drawn on in the examination of the development of OW/OB in childhood . Attention to cascades in development where early determinants have spreading effects on development over time and/or developments in one domain (eg, cognitive development) can progressively shape developments in other domains (eg, social development or parenting behavior) could also have a useful applications in relation to OW/OB in childhood. Consistent with this suggestion, Smith and colleagues have recently proposed a cascade model of pediatric obesity that includes prenatal and infant factors (eg, SES, caregiver depression, and other risk factors) that could cascade individuals towards obesity across developmental periods, as well as the idea that there could be cascades from pediatric obesity into other areas of development (eg, depressed mood, body image, and self‐esteem).…”

“…The examination of transactional process in child development is prominent in recent research. 79,148,152,[262][263][264][265][266][267][268] It is illustrated by results from Tiberio et al 148 Bidirectional and transactional processes linking child effortful control and parenting were identified. The concurrent and transactional effects for mothers and fathers were complex, but, interestingly, at younger ages, child effortful control influenced parenting, whereas at older ages parenting influenced child effortful control.…”

“…In the research on eating and weight in childhood, this can be helped by measuring general constructs (such as intrusive parenting, negative control, or pressure to eat) and using two or more measuring occasions that are separated by no more than about 3 years. 106,152,231,266,274,289,310,342,343 At times, adjustments to measures are needed across ages, 106,264 or additional measures included. 286 In developmental research, crosslagged designs have been used over longer periods.…”

“…In addition, attachment theory and family systems theory, which are prominent in developmental science, could be drawn on in the examination of the development of OW/OB in childhood. 66 Attention to cascades in development 215,232,264,267,347 where early determinants have spreading effects on development over time and/or developments in one domain (eg, cognitive development)…”