The interplay among interparental conflict, children's emotional insecurity, neurophysiological correlates of processing interparental conflict cues, and externalizing symptoms

2021 ◽  
Vol 63 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice C. Schermerhorn ◽  
Phuong (Kelly) Nguyen ◽  
Patrick T. Davies
Keyword(s):  
Interparental Conflict ◽  
Externalizing Symptoms ◽  
Emotional Insecurity

Emotional insecurity as a mediator of the moderating role of dopamine genes in the association between interparental conflict and youth externalizing problems

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 1111-1126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick T. Davies ◽  
Joanna K. Pearson ◽  
Dante Cicchetti ◽  
Meredith J. Martin ◽  
E. Mark Cummings
Keyword(s):  
Externalizing Problems ◽  
Interparental Conflict ◽  
Differential Susceptibility ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Externalizing Symptoms ◽  
Mediated Moderation ◽  
Repeat Allele ◽  
Emotional Insecurity ◽  
Post Hoc

AbstractThis study tested whether the association between interparental conflict and adolescent externalizing symptoms was moderated by a polygenic composite indexing low dopamine activity (i.e., 7-repeat allele of DRD4; Val alleles of COMT; 10-repeat variants of DAT1) in a sample of seventh-grade adolescents (Mean age = 13.0 years) and their parents. Using a longitudinal, autoregressive design, observational assessments of interparental conflict at Wave 1 predicted increases in a multi-informant measurement of youth externalizing symptoms 2 years later at Wave 3 only for children who were high on the hypodopaminergic composite. Moderation was expressed in a “for better” or “for worse” form hypothesized by differential susceptibility theory. Thus, children high on the dopaminergic composite experienced more externalizing problems than their peers when faced with more destructive conflicts but also fewer externalizing problems when exposed to more constructive interparental conflicts. Mediated moderation findings indicated that adolescent reports of their emotional insecurity in the interparental relationship partially explained the greater genetic susceptibility experienced by these children. More specifically, the dopamine composite moderated the association between Wave 1 interparental conflict and emotional insecurity 1 year later at Wave 2 in the same “for better” or “for worse” pattern as externalizing symptoms. Adolescent insecurity at Wave 2, in turn, predicted their greater externalizing symptoms 1 year later at Wave 3. Post hoc analyses further revealed that the 7-repeat allele of the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) gene was the primary source of plasticity in the polygenic composite. Results are discussed as to how they advance process-oriented Gene x Environment models of emotion regulation.

Interparental conflict and adolescents' self-representations: The role of emotional insecurity

2016 ◽  
Vol 52 ◽  
pp. 76-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Sofia Silva ◽  
Maria Manuela Calheiros ◽  
Helena Carvalho
Keyword(s):  
Interparental Conflict ◽  
Emotional Insecurity

scholarly journals Interparental Conflict and Korean Children’s Inhibitory Control: Testing Emotional Insecurity as a Mediator

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Young-Eun Lee ◽  
SoJung Seo
Keyword(s):  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Latent Variable ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Interparental Conflict ◽  
Emotional Reactivity ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Subsequent Increase ◽  
Korean Children ◽  
Emotional Insecurity

This study examined the association between interparental conflict and inhibitory control of Korean children, and it investigated whether this relationship is mediated by the single latent variable of emotional insecurity or by three dimensions of emotional insecurity (i.e., involvement, emotional reactivity, and avoidance). A total of 166 mother–father dyads with Korean children aged 3–5 years participated in a short-term longitudinal survey at two-time points. Both parents completed measures of interparental conflict and emotional insecurity, and, 6 months later, they completed a measure of the inhibitory control of children. The structural equation modeling results suggested that interparental conflict was related to poor inhibitory control in Korean children. Emotional insecurity did not mediate the association between interparental conflict and inhibitory control. Of the three emotional insecurity dimensions, the involvement partially mediated the relationship. Interestingly, although interparental conflict predicted poor inhibitory control, the involvement of children in the conflict, which was associated with a greater interparental conflict, predicted a subsequent increase in inhibitory control 6 months later. These findings were interpreted in terms of sensory processing patterns, the reformulation of emotional security theory, and the influence of Confucianism on Korean culture.

scholarly journals Parental Relationship Status as a Moderator of the Associations Between Mothers’ and Fathers’ Conflict Behaviors and Early Child Behavior Problems

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052094851
Author(s):  
Shawna J. Lee ◽  
Garrett T. Pace ◽  
Joyce Y. Lee ◽  
Inna Altschul
Keyword(s):  
Behavior Problems ◽  
Child Behavior ◽  
Interparental Conflict ◽  
Child Outcomes ◽  
Child Behavior Problems ◽  
Relationship Status ◽  
Mothers And Fathers ◽  
Parental Relationship ◽  
Emotional Insecurity ◽  
Destructive Conflict

This study examines interparental conflict and associations with child behavior problems among a large, diverse sample of families with low income ( N = 2,691) using path model analyses of mothers’ and fathers’ reports of constructive interparental conflict, destructive interparental conflict, and intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization at 15 months and child emotional insecurity and child behavior problems at 36 months. Multigroup models examined whether parental relationship status (i.e., married, cohabiting, and churning) moderated these associations. Fathers’ perceptions of interparental conflict behaviors showed few direct associations with child outcomes, whereas mothers’ perceptions of interparental conflict showed more robust associations with child outcomes. Specifically, mother-reported destructive conflict was associated with higher levels of child emotional insecurity and child behavior problems across parental relationship status subgroups. Mother-reported constructive conflict had a small negative association with child behavior problems in cohabiting families. Child emotional insecurity mediated the association of maternal destructive conflict on child behavior problems. Although churning families experienced higher levels of moderate and severe interparental conflict, associations linking destructive conflict to child behavior problems were consistent across parental relationship subgroups. There were few direct effects of father-reported constructive and destructive conflict on child well-being. However, the results supported the notion that fathers play an influential role in the family system via maternal reports of IPV victimization. Results of this study suggest that the mechanisms underlying emotional security theory, in which child emotional insecurity mediates the associations between maternal destructive conflict and child behavior problems, apply to a large and racially diverse sample of socioeconomically disadvantaged children.

Patterns of interparental conflict, parenting, and children’s emotional insecurity: A person-centered approach.

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 922-932 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olena Kopystynska ◽  
Katherine W. Paschall ◽  
Melissa A. Barnett ◽  
Melissa A. Curran
Keyword(s):  
Interparental Conflict ◽  
Emotional Insecurity ◽  
Person Centered Approach

Interparental Conflict, Emotional Insecurity, and Parent–Adolescent Communication

2020 ◽  
pp. 0192513X2098003
Author(s):  
Abigail L. Mills ◽  
Gabriela A. Aquino ◽  
Sarah Hoegler ◽  
E. Mark Cummings
Keyword(s):  
Interparental Conflict ◽  
Family System ◽  
The Family ◽  
Emotional Insecurity ◽  
Destructive Conflict ◽  
Explanatory Mechanism ◽  
Adolescent Relationship ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Insight Into

Destructive conflict within the marital relationship has been shown to negatively impact the family system. Exposure to destructive interparental conflict may be particularly detrimental to adolescent development. Destructive interparental conflict is associated with decreased quality of parent–adolescent communication. One potential explanatory mechanism for this relationship is adolescents’ emotional insecurity in the interparental relationship. Exposure to destructive interparental conflict may decrease adolescents’ sense of emotional security. Therefore, this study examined whether emotional insecurity security mediated the relationship between destructive interparental conflict and parent–adolescent communication, based on a longitudinal study on family communication ( N = 225). Path analysis revealed that the relationship between destructive interparental conflict and father–adolescent communication, as well as mother–adolescent communication, was mediated by emotional insecurity. The results provide insight into the consequences that destructive interparental conflict may have for aspects of the parent–adolescent relationship, as well as practical implications for the development of future intervention programs.

Interparental Conflict on Italian Adolescent Adjustment: The Role of Insecurity within the Family

2020 ◽  
pp. 0192513X2092774 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aryanne D. de Silva ◽  
Mengyu M. Gao ◽  
Daniela Barni ◽  
Silvia Donato ◽  
Laura E. Miller-Graff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Family Relationships ◽  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Interparental Conflict ◽  
Adolescent Adjustment ◽  
The Family ◽  
Emotional Insecurity ◽  
Indirect Association ◽  
Adolescent Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Despite its importance, limited research has examined mechanisms underpinning how interparental conflict affects adolescents in Europe. Using a sample of 141 Italian families (mothers, fathers, and adolescents, Mage = 17.25 years, SD = 0.64), this study explores whether three types of adolescents’ emotional insecurity, which describes adolescents’ vulnerability to conflict, play a role in the association between interparental conflict and adolescents’ adjustment. Participants completed questionnaires related to adolescents’ conflict exposure, adjustment, and emotional insecurity in the parent-adolescent, interparental, and family relationships. As hypothesized, indirect associations were observed involving adolescents’ emotional insecurity in the parent-adolescent and interparental relationships. Surprisingly, the indirect association involving emotional insecurity within the interparental relationship rather than within the family emerged the strongest indirect association of the three types of emotional insecurity. These effects, however, were indistinguishable from the indirect effects of insecurity about the parent-adolescent relationship. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Bindungsbeziehungen zwischen Eltern und Kindern im Kontext von Trennung und Scheidung: Welche Rolle spielen Umfang und Qualität des Eltern-Kind-Kontakts?

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrike Lux ◽  
Heinz Kindler ◽  
Sabine Walper ◽  
Janin Zimmermann
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Interparental Conflict ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Parental Separation ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Great Uncertainty ◽  
Emotional Insecurity ◽  
The Future ◽  
Broad Consensus

Following parental separation, parents face the question of how to develop a suitable parenting plan for their children in the future. While there is a broad consensus that maintaining relationships with both parents is generally beneficial for children, there is great uncertainty about how this should be implemented in individual cases and the importance of different contextual factors. This paper provides an attachment-informed perspective on aspects of children's relationships in the context of separation and divorce that might be relevant when making decisions about parenting plans. The focus is on the amount of time and overnights spent with each parent in early childhood, when attachment relationships are still being formed. In addition to beneficial aspects, factors associated with increased stress and emotional insecurity for children, such as the role of interparental conflict and gatekeeping behavior, are also highlighted. The paper concludes with recommendations on interventions for families experiencing conflict.

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