Writing for 4-5 papers about Parent/Child Conflict
Romen7272
parentchildconflict.pptxParent/Child Conflict
Dante Treacy and Ibrahim
Overview of the article
Parental Separation and Children's Behavioral/Emotional Problems
Stephanie Stadelmann
Stephanie is in the Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Basel, Switzerland.
2010
Objectives/Goals
In this study, the objective was to examine whether parental separation had an effect on children’s behavioral/emotional well being.
Used a different approach that included (parent, teacher, child) to assess the children’s behavioral/emotional problems.
Trying to depict if separation, family conflict, and negative parental representations were associated with children's behavioral/emotional problems.
The focus was majority on kindergartener’s ages 5 and 6
Review of literature
Here they interviewed multiple authors as well as people’s personal experiences.
According to (Davies & Cummings) Parental separation is rated as one of their most stressful life events by both parents and children.
As Amato & Stanley Hagan stated, as family roles, relationships, and circumstances change, children often tend to be depressed, anxious, angry, demanding and noncompliant. May even experience a drop in school performance.
Review of literature
The greatest effects of divorce on children relate to behavioral problems. Effects on emotional symptoms such as (depression/anxiety) are considered to be far more inconsistent (Amato & Keith; Hetherington & Stanley Hagan).
Research has indicated that it is marital conflict rather than the actual break-up of the family that is primarily responsible for many of the problems seen in children whose parents separate (Kelly).
Methods
Parents reported on parental separation (yes/no) and children’s age at separation.
187 children (76 girls, 111 boys) participated in the study and were estimated to be at the ages of 5 and 6 years.
93 children were recruited through their kindergarten classes in the city of Basel.
Methods
Another 64 children were part of the study on family relationships that began when the mothers of these children were pregnant.
To increase the number of children with behavioral/emotional problems in the clinical range, they included a group of 30 children.
These kids were initiated by the children's teachers and/or parents, and followed behavioral problems or emotional symptoms.
Results of methods
33 (18%) children (16 girls, 17 boys) experienced parental separation before the age of 5. 19 of these children (58%) lived with their mother, 9 children (27%) lived with both parents (different households, shared custody), 1 child (3%) lived with its father, and 4 children (12%) lived in alternative settings such as with mother and stepfather, with the grandmother, or in a children's home.
Results of methods
Over 1 year, they analyzed stability of family conflict, parental representations, and behavioral/ emotional problems (Table 1). Family conflict showed high stability between age 5 and 6. Negative parental representations showed moderate stability between 5 and 6.
Behavioral/emotional problems were also highly stable between 5 and 6.
Results of methods
Conclusion
The hypothesis that parental separation, family conflict, and children's negative parental representations would predict a greater increase in behavioral/emotional problems at kindergarten age was supported.
The study showed that all of these aspects were risk factors for an increase in conduct problems during the ages 5-6.
The effect of parental separation was strong if children also had negative parental representations.
Our analysis of the study
We thought they did a good job of tracking information and using actual stats.
We also liked how they got information by interviewing authors and people’s personal experiences.
What they could’ve done better
We thought the researchers could’ve done a better job with explaining the table a little more.
Feel like there was just numbers thrown on the chart without an explanation of what they meant.
Where we were confused
For the most part everything was simple and easy to follow, however the table was the only downfall.
What we learned
We learned that separation, family conflict, and negative parental representations correlate with children's behavioral/emotional problems.
How we will use this study for our final project
We chose this article to see and prove if parental issues leave an impact on children.
We plan to use this as an extra source of information.
