Research article summary (published 29 Nov 2007):

Inter-parental conflict and children's academic attainment: a longitudinal analysis.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND: Previous research suggests a link between inter-parental conflict and children's psychological development. Most studies, however, have tended to focus on two broad indices of children's psychological adaptation (internalizing symptoms and externalizing problems) in considering the effects of inter-parental conflict on children's development. The present longitudinal study extends this body of research by considering the impact of inter-parental conflict on children's low academic attainment among a sample of 230 schoolchildren (age 11-13 years) living in the United Kingdom. METHOD: Controlling for teacher reports of children's initial levels of aggression (Time 1), the proposed theoretical model linked parent and child reports of inter-parental conflict at Time 1 (1999) to children's perceptions of negative parent-child relations, appraisals of self-blame for marital conflict and teacher reports of children's aggressive behavior at Time 2 (2000), which in turn were linked to children's performance on standardized academic tests (English, Math, Science) at Time 3 (2001). Structural equation modeling was used to test all hypothesized relations in the proposed theoretical model. RESULTS: Support was found for the role of children's self-blaming attributions for parents' marital arguments, not negative parenting behavior, as a mechanism through which variation in their academic attainment is explained. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to the focus emphasized in most current family and school-based intervention programs, findings suggest that the attributional processes engendered in children who live in households marked by high levels of inter-parental conflict and hostility have important implications for their long-term academic success.

Author information

Author/s: Harold, Gordon T (GT); Aitken, Jessica J (JJ); Shelton, Katherine H (KH);

Affiliation: School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK. Harold(-atsign-)cf.ac.uk

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines (J Child Psychol Psychiatry), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Dec; vol 48 (issue 12) : pp 1223-32

Dates: Created 2007/12/20; Completed 2008/02/07;

PMID: 18093028, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Achievement Adolescent Adult Aggression - psychology Child Child Behavior - psychology Child Behavior Disorders - epidemiology Child Development Educational Status Expressed Emotion Family Characteristics Family Conflict - psychology

Female Great Britain - epidemiology Hostility Humans Longitudinal Studies Male Models, Psychological Parent-Child Relations Parenting - psychology Parents - psychology Social Environment Teaching

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