Transcript What are the effects of interparental conflict on the

What are the effects of
interparental conflict on the
adjustment of adolescents?
Comparative Analysis
 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.
Research Study #1
 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.
Summary of the 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.
Study #1 Method
Design
 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 crosssectional 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
Participants
 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
Data collection and analysis procedure
 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 Inventory2 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 #1
Method Criteria and Limitation
 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 #1
Results
 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 #1
Discussion
 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 #1
Theoretical perspective
 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
 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.
Citation
 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
Research Study #2
 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.
Summary of the 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.
Study #2 Method
Design
 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
Participants
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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 #2
Data collection procedure
 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 #2
Data Analysis Procedures
 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 #2
Method criteria and limitation
 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 #2
Results
 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 #2
Discussion
 The study aimed to determine whether children's reports of conflictresolution 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.
 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.
Study #2
Theoretical perspective
 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.
Citation
 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-90f1a38de24e4da4%40sessionmgr4003&vid=13&hid=4107
Take Home Message
 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.
Rubric
 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?, quasiexperimental?, 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
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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)