Siblings' Differential Experiences of Marital Conflict and Differences in Psychological Adjustment

The present study examined whether siblings experience marital conflict differently and whether such differences, if present, were associated with differences in their adjustment. Self-report data about marital conflict, children's depressed mood, behavioral conduct, and externalizing problems...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of family psychology 2003-09, Vol.17 (3), p.339-350
Main Authors: Richmond, Melissa K, Stocker, Clare M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological - physiology
Adjustment
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child Behavior - psychology
Children
Conflict
Conflict (Psychology)
Depression (Emotion)
Depression - etiology
Depression - psychology
Emotional Adjustment
Experiences (Events)
Externalization
Family environment. Family history
Female
Human
Humans
Individual Differences
Internal-External Control
Male
Marital Conflict
Marriage
Marriage - psychology
Medical sciences
Parent-Child Relations
Parental conflict
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Regression Analysis
Sex Distribution
Siblings
Siblings - psychology
Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry
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Summary:The present study examined whether siblings experience marital conflict differently and whether such differences, if present, were associated with differences in their adjustment. Self-report data about marital conflict, children's depressed mood, behavioral conduct, and externalizing problems were obtained from 122 sibling pairs (mean ages = 10 and 12 years) and their parents. Results indicated that siblings were significantly different in exposure to and appraisals of marital conflict. Differences in siblings' exposure to marital conflict were significantly correlated with differences in their depressed mood, behavioral conduct, and externalizing problems. Differences in siblings' feelings of self-blame for marital conflict were significantly correlated with differences in their depressed mood and behavioral conduct. Children who experienced more marital conflict than their siblings had more adjustment problems than their siblings. These results highlight the importance of studying siblings' unique experiences of marital conflict to better understand its impact on children's adjustment.
ISSN:0893-3200
1939-1293
DOI:10.1037/0893-3200.17.3.339