What are the effects of interparental conflict on the adjustment of adolescents?

The main purpose of this research paper is to compare two key research studies.

Regarding the effect of inter-parental conflicts on the adjustment of adolescents.

Comparative Analysis

Conducted by: Jessica M. Fear, Jennifer E. Champion, Kristen L. Reeslund and Bruce E. Compas of Vanderbilt University and Rex Forehand, Christina Colletti and Lori Roberts of University of Vermont.

Title: Parental Depression and Inter-parental Conflict: Children and Adolescents’ Self-Blame and Coping Responses.

Year of study: 2009. Purpose of study: To examine the role of children and

adolescents’ perceptions and behavior amid parental conflicts as predictors of internalizing and externalizing behavior.

Research Study #1

The study sampled 108 adolescents. Participating youths were sampled from parents with a

history of depression as a result of parental conflicts. Assessment of adolescent coping mechanisms was done,

with self blame being the common indictor of internalizing and externalizing behavior.

Study sought to show the correlation between effects of parent conflicts, secondary coping mechanisms and self blame cognitive behaviors among adolescents.

Summary of the Study #1

The study is correlation. Participants shared common grounds of conflicting parents but registered different adolescent adjustment mechanisms.

The study exhibits a developmental focus. This was a cross-sectional survey because, the main aim of the research is to show whether or not a relationship exists between the effects of parental conflicts and the outcomes of adolescents adjustment behaviors.

Researchers compared teenagers from married parents, separated and divorced couples.

There were no changes made to the groups to alter outcome of results.

Study #1 MethodDesign

The original size of the sample was 204 adolescents from 152 families.

The actual number of participants for the study was 108 teenagers and parents.

Number of parents for the study included 17 fathers and 91 mothers. Participating youths were 50 males and 58 females . The mean age of parents was 42 years while that of the adolescents

was placed at 11 years. Requirements for participating parents were: an average of a 4 year

college degree, no history of any lifetime Schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and marital status could be married, separated or divorced.

Study #1 Participants

Participants were recruited from various sources that include mental health centers, from medical practitioners, from the public through advertisements on the media and newspapers, universities, children’s schools and the community centers.

The selection of these regions was based on targeting depressed parents receiving treatment and those who are not receiving treatment.

Techniques used in the survey include: Beck Depression Inventory- 2 item to measure symptoms of depression among parents, the Youth Self-Report, The Child behavior Checklist, Children’s Perception of Inter-parental Conflict Scale and Responses to Stress questionnaires.

Study #1Data collection and analysis procedure

In terms of objectivity and reliability, researchers ensured that all questions are open-ended to allow participants to full express themselves.

The study sample included mostly mothers and focus on one parent perception of the conflict rather than both parents.

Possible share error variance since adolescents are required to provide report on their perception of parental conflicts and their adjustment.

Study #1Method Criteria and Limitation

All adolescents complete the YSR and CBCL, validity and reliability of the data was established.

Inter- parental conflict reports and adolescent reports showed a correlation relationship.

Two regression models used showed similar symptoms of anxiety and aggression among teenagers as part of the adjustment behavior.

Adolescents exhibit primary and secondary coping behavior and this was the main predictor of adolescent adjustment.

Study #1Results

Study showed that a higher levels of parental conflicts result to higher levels of anxiety, aggression and self blame behaviors among adolescents.

Adolescents who showed high symptoms of self blame behaviors also exhibited higher levels of secondary coping mechanisms as a way of adjusting to parental conflicts.

The study showed the correlative relationship between parental conflicts and adjustment behaviors of among adolescents.

Study #1Discussion

The hypothesis that higher levels of parental conflicts result to higher levels of self-blame behaviors and increase in secondary coping behavior adjustments among adolescents takes a contextual approach

In this study, researchers show a tendency to believe that effects of parental conflicts have a negative impact on child development

Study #1Theoretical perspective

The study theoretically outlines that behavior in adolescents can be used as a predictor of adjustments in conflicting families

In my opinion, this study has successfully proven that parental conflicts create a negative development environment for adolescents.

Fear, J. M., Champion, J. E., Reeslund, K. L., Forehand, R., Colletti, C.,

& Roberts, L. (2009). Parental depression and interparental

conflict: children and adolescents’ self-blame and coping responses.

Journal of Family Psychology, 23(5), 762–766. Retrieved February

4, 2014, from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.indstate.edu:

2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=61bb40b3-6996-431f-90f1

a38de24e4da4%40sessionmgr4003&vid=10&hid=4206

Citation

Conducted by: Mark R. Dadds, Erin Atkinson, Cynthia Turner, G. John Blums and Bernice Lendich of Griffith University.

Title of study: Family Conflict and Child Adjustment: Evidence for a Cognitive-Contextual Model of Intergenerational Transmission.

Year of study: 1999. Purpose of study: The main purpose of this study was to examine

parents and adolescents perceptions of martial conflicts and its relation to adolescent adjustments. In addition, also examines the different parental resolution styles and teenagers’ resolution styles.

Research Study #2

In the study, three groups of age between ten and fourteen years old were sampled for purposes of obtaining perceptions of the conflict-resolution styles and behavioral adjustments. As previously established, girls and body were not exposed to different types or levels of inter-parental conflict, although the males tended to direct the blame towards themselves.

Summary of the Study #2

This study followed an experimental design. This is because it included three different sample groups of

adolescents in the survey. The study has a developmental focus. This is a cross-

sectional survey design, which included students from different age brackets with a focus on gender.

Study #2 MethodDesign

The study consists of three sample groups. Participating adolescents are aged between 10-14 years. Selection of participants covered a range of socioeconomic families. The first study sample consisted of 158 adolescents, 95 females and 63

males. Their mean age was 12 years. The second study sampled 65 male adolescents aged 12 years of age. The third study sampled 120 males and 112 females. The mean age was 12

years. Participants with the following attributes were disqualified; a) adolescents

living with single parents, b) Adolescents whom teachers felt had difficulties reading, c)Adolescents who failed to complete all aspects of the study.

Participants completed several measures such as self-reports and questionnaires.

Study #2Participants

Data collection methods include Children's Perception Questionnaire (CPQ) and the Children's Perception of Inter-parental Conflict Scale (CPICS).

The use of CPICS as a self report measure makes it particularly reliable. This is because unlike previously used measures that focused on intensity and frequency, the CPICS focuses on the severity of the parental conflict.

In measuring the parental conflict resolution styles, the Family Conflict Styles Questionnaire (FCSQ) was used.

For the purpose of measuring adolescent adjustments, the use of Child Depression Inventory was conceptually used. This method is reliable and

allows researchers to measure both internalizing and externalizing problems among adolescents.

Study #2Data collection procedure

A standard multiple regression analysis model was used in examining parent and adolescent conflict resolution styles in conflicts and the relationship with adolescent adjustments.

Two independent variables were used in the analysis.

Study #2Data Analysis Procedures

Criteria used by researcher during the selection of the representative sample ensured that participants were randomly selected to avoid favor which may limit study validity and objectivity.

The cross-sectional design of the survey limits causal conclusions hence the need to use a longitudinal design in future research.

Lack of multiple data collection techniques and reliance on questionnaires limits amount of data collected.

Study #2Method criteria and limitation

Findings from study 1 and 3 were used to analyze the impact of parental conflicts on gender relationships among siblings.

Both cohorts exhibited similar results. Therefore, data from study 2, which was the larger cohort was

used as the standard data in the survey. The use of imaginary siblings where an adolescents was the

only child did not affect the results from the study.

Study #2Results

The study aimed to determine whether children's reports of conflict-resolution styles used by their parents could account for the degree of internalizing and externalizing adjustment behaviors displayed by children, as well as the conflict resolution styles adolescents use in their own relationships with other siblings.

Findings from the three cohort studies indicate a major support of the proposition that the severity of parental conflicts, parental resolution styles and child appraisals have a correlative relationship with adolescent adjustments.

Study #2Discussion

In addition, findings from the study demonstrate that conflict resolution styles children use in their own family relationships are clearly related to their specific patterns of general adjustment.

In terms of gender, the only difference detected was that boys exhibited a greater tendency to blame themselves for parental arguments, although this gender effect was found to be minimal. Hence, it is less unlikely that gender differences in child adjustment are due to children being exposed to different levels of marital conflict.

The research hypothesis takes a cognitive –developmental approach. It shows how cognitive behavior can be used to predict adolescent’s behavior.

The researchers have the opinion that conflicts severity emerged as a significant predictor in adolescent adjustment behaviors.

In my opinion, adolescents provide the best report on the level of family conflicts and this can be derived from internalizing and externalizing behaviors displayed by adolescents as coping mechanisms.

Study #2Theoretical perspective

Dadds, M. R., Atkinson, E., Turner, C., Blums, J., &

Lendich, B. (1999). Family conflict and child

adjustment: evidence for a cognitive-contextual

model of intergenerational transmission. Journal of

Family Psychology, 13(2), 194-208.Retrieved

February 4, 2014, from http://

web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.indstate.edu:2048/ehost/

pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=61bb40b3-6996-431f-90f1-

a38de24e4da4%40sessionmgr4003&vid=13&hid=4107

Citation

Both studies show a correlative relationship between effects of parental conflicts on adolescent adjustments.

This information needs to be incorporated in counseling clinics, schools and social services center so as to have firsthand experience on handling adolescent related issues.

In my opinion, both studies provide clear and reliable results that seek to minimize parental conflicts in order to influence positive adolescent adjustments. However, I cannot know for sure the physical and emotional magnitude parental conflicts have on adolescents.

While there is need for more studies, schools can implement strategies to properly handle adolescents from conflicting families and find solutions to help these young people with the adjustment process.

Take Home Message

Total Assignment = 100 pts (=23% of course grade)

10 pts -- Your research question/ appropriate selection of articles and presentation length--total presentation should be no shorter than 20 and no longer than 40 slides

45 pts -- Summary of each study; please include for each study the following. a. Purpose of Study--what are the study's research questions? (6 pts) b. Design --First, answer this question: is this study experimental?, quasi-experimental?, or

correlational? Experimental=are there randomly assigned groups that were treated differently?, Quasi-Experimental--are there groups that naturally occurred--e.g., smokers vs. non-smokers--that were treated differently by the researcher?, Correlational--a group is described and the results show differences among the group members? Second, IF the study has a developmental focus, analyze the developmental design: cross-sectional, longitudinal, or sequential. (6 pts)

c. Methods--include participants, materials/instruments, data collection techniques, and data analysis techniques. After summarizing the methods, analyze what the researchers did in terms of the criteria of 1) objectivity, 2) reliability, 3) validity, 4) representative sampling, and 5) replication. (21 pts)

Rubric

d. Findings--look for information indicating significant differences--connect the findings back to the research hypotheses. The findings should be contained in the Results section of the paper (6 pts)

e. Conclusions--summary of authors' interpretations from Discussion section (6 pts) 15 pts--Theoretical Perspective--what are the researchers' (probably implicit)

perspectives on human development?--defend your decisions for each study with reasons (from the purpose, design, data collection and analysis, results, and interpretation); you should 1) identify (2 pts), 2) explain (5 pts), and 3) defend (8 pts) whether the perspective of each study is organismic, cognitive-developmental, cognitive-learning, behavioral, psychodynamic, contextual, or humanistic. If possible to determine the specific theory being tested by the study, further analyze the origins of the developmental approach being used. Be sure to defend your point of view.

15 pts -- Take Home Message--having read these two studies (notice this is a comparative analysis), what do you now believe? (=conclusions, 5 pts) What other questions do you have? (=future research questions, 5 pts) What can you not know for sure? (=limitations, 5 pts)

Rubric

15 pts -- Communicative Effectiveness a. Presence of a brief introduction and conclusion (2 pts) b. Does paper flow? (please use headings) (3 pts) c. Are words misspelled or used incorrectly, are subject-verb agreements correct? (4 pts) d. Correct use of in-text citation (e.g., refer to studies by the authors' last names and year

of publication)--please note that the only proper way to refer to a study in formal writing is by the last names of the authors and the year of publication. No article titles should appear in the narrative. (3 pts)

e. Style of references (3 pts) For both d. and e. please follow the APA Manual of Style, 6th ed. An APA tutorial is

available under the Cunningham Memorial Library's home page (see online tutorials). Please post your presentation as an attachment (with document in Power Point or Word or

rtf, preferably) under the Research Presentations Forum of the Discussion Board by the due date listed in the Calendar (under Tools)

Rubric