Patterns of interparental conflicts across family constellations

• In Event: Extended family roles, parenting, and child development

Abstract

Background: The societal development over the last centuries has been accompanied by more pluralistic patterns of family constellations, and many children grow up with parents living in different households. Concurrently, research has pointed out aspects of interparental conflicts that are considered particularly destructive for children (Harold & Sellers, 2018), but we have limited knowledge about whether and how patterns of interparental conflicts vary with family constellation. Using Family Systems Theory (Minuchin, 1974; Kitzmann, 2000) and Johnstons’s conflict typology (Johnston, 1994) as frameworks, this study investigated how conflicts vary with family constellation among parents in contact with a family counselling centres across Norway. The aim of the study was to increase the knowledge-base on interparental conflict during periods where the family system is under pressure.

Methods: Data from the Dynamics if Family Conflict Study was used. Participants (n= 841 parental dyads) were recruited when attending a family counselling centre for counselling or mediation. Analyses are based on parents’ responses to structured questions about conflict and cohesion in their relationship, mainly using a short-form of the Conflict and Problem-Solving Scales (CPS; Kerig, 1996). The investigated conflict aspects were: Frequency; Resolution; Six different conflict topics; and levels of three types of destructive conflict behaviors (i.e. Child involvement, Verbal aggression and Physical aggression). Regression analyses were used to investigate whether patterns of interparental conflict varied in different family constellations characterized by whether or not parents live together, and the degree of complexity of the family system in terms of parents’ new partners or children from former relationships.

Results: We found that conflict patterns varied with family constellation among parents. Mean differences for the investigated conflict aspects are presented in Figure 1. For parents who live together, there were no differences in conflict patterns between those with and without children from former relationships (nuclear family versus new-nuclear family). Compared to parents living apart, parents in nuclear families reported more frequent conflicts, but better resolution and less destructive conflict behaviors. Among parents living apart, results show better conflict resolution and less destructive conflict behaviors in less complex family systems (i.e., Single parents) compared to more complex family systems (where one or both parents are re-established in a new relationship).

Conclusions: Our findings highlight the importance of providing children with help and guidance customized for their family. Importantly, parents living apart had more destructive conflicts, including more child involvement in conflicts, than those living together. Furthermore, new partners may be an important resource in children’s lives, but the current findings also highlight that increased complexity of the family system may be accompanied by more destructive interparental conflicts, highlighting the need to focus on the entire family system when providing help for children.

Group Authors

Linda Larsen, Torkild Lyngstad, Michael Gähler, Tonje Holt

Authors

• Maren Sand Helland, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
  Presenting Author

• Tonje Holt, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH)
  Non-Presenting Author

• Linda Larsen, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
  Non-Presenting Author

• Torkild Hovde Lyngstad, University of Oslo
  Non-Presenting Author

• Michael Gähler, Stockholm University
  Non-Presenting Author