Poster #97 - "They Yell and I Yell Back" – Preschool Children's Descriptions of Coercive Cycles at Home

• In Event: Poster Session 01

Abstract

Background
Children in families with high levels of conflict are at risk of developing behaviour- and relational problems. They are also at higher risk of experiencing coercive and/or punitive parenting behaviours. Growing up in a family with high levels of conflict and harsh parenting is associated with increased child behaviour and/or relational problems, both in the short and the long run (Bayer et al., 2012; Jaycox & Repetti, 1993; Klahr et al., 2011; Lunkenheimer et al., 2017). Coercive cycles of negative interaction that emerge within the family system can become stable over time and very difficult to change (Patterson, 2002). In research on family interactions, preschool children are seldom the source of information.

Objective
This study aimed at addressing this research and knowledge gap through exploring the emotional and relational experiences of preschool children.

Participants and settings
Preschool children aged 3–6, whose parents attended a parenting programme. A total of 17 children were interviewed, with 12 children aged 3 or 4 years.

Methods
All interviews were conducted using an emotion-focused, pictorial-based computer-assisted interview (Calam et al., 2000). Qualitative content analysis was applied to analyse the children’s descriptions of their family relations (Graneheim & Lundman, 2004).

Results
The children described negative interplay within the families in rich detail, especially experiences of the coercive cycle and how conflicts escalated and were left unresolved. Examples of positive family interactions were given as well, but they were heavily overshadowed by the narratives containing harsh parenting, coercion and sometimes violence. The children also described compensatory behaviours, such as looking for comfort from siblings or pets. See Fig.1 for the overatching theme, categories, and sub-categories from the analysis.

Conclusions
The narratives in this study gave a unique insight into the emotional and relational home context of children in families with high levels of conflict. Given adequate tools and support, children as young as 3 or 4 years old could provide extensive information about their lives. We urge future research examining parenting or family interventions to include the children’s perspectives.

Authors

• Anton Dahlberg, Uppsala universitet
  Presenting Author

• Karin Fängström, Uppsala universitet

• Anna Sarkadi, Uppsala University

• Raziye Salari, Uppsala universitet