Interparental Hostility and Early Adolescent Problem Behavior: Spillover via Maternal Acceptance, Harshness, Inconsistency, and Intrusiveness

• NCJ Number: 224009
• Journal: Journal of Early Adolescence Volume: 28 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2008 Pages: 428-454
• Author(s): Mark J. Benson; Cheryl Buehler; Jean M. Gerard
• Date Published: August 2008
• Length: 27 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01-MH59248
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

To explore the link between interparental hostility and adolescent problem behaviors, this study examined four important maternal parenting dimensions as potential mediators: acceptance, harshness, inconsistency, and psychological intrusiveness.

Abstract

Each of the four parenting dimensions partially explains the association between interparental hostility and adolescent problems. Acceptance, harshness, inconsistency, and intrusiveness each play a mediational role between parents’ hostility and the internalizing or externalizing problems of adolescents. In summary, the findings show that parenting mediates the association between interparental hostility and adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems. The findings imply a potential process account of the relationship between interparental hostility and adolescent problems in early adolescence. Greater interparental hostility is associated with compromised parenting, particularly harsh parenting, which in turn is related to greater externalizing. Parents’ hostility also links to psychological intrusiveness and rejection, which in turn relates to adolescent internalizing problems. To reduce adolescent problems and promote healthy adolescent development, interventions that reduce interparental discord or interrupt parenting consequences hold potential. Much of the research on interparental hostility has focused on married couples. This study examined specific aspects of parenting as potential mediators between interparental hostility and adolescent externalizing and internalizing problems. Four important parenting dimensions were examined: acceptance, harshness, inconsistency, and psychological control. The study consisted of a large, diverse, community sample of over 1,880 youth. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used which allowed for model fitting and significance testing between groups compared by youth gender, ethnicity, and parents’ marital status. Tables, figure, and references