Marital conflict and the quality of young children's peer play behavior: the mediating and moderating role of parent-child emotional reciprocity and attachment security.
Parent-child attachment security and dyadic measures of parent-child positive and negative emotional reciprocity were examined as possible mediators and moderators of the connection between marital conflict and children's peer play behavior. Eighty parents were observed in a laboratory play session with their 15- to 18-month-old child. Subsequently, at 36 months children were observed interacting with peers at their child care setting. Connections between marital conflict and children's positive peer interaction were mediated by mother-child attachment security, mother-child positive emotional reciprocity, and father-child negative emotional reciprocity. Connections between marital conflict and children's negative peer interaction were mediated by mother-child positive emotional reciprocity and father-child attachment security. Parent-child attachment security and negative emotional reciprocity emerged as important moderators of the connection between marital conflict and children's peer play behavior.
Applied Psychology Program, Penn State Berks, Reading, PA 19610, USA. EWL10@psu.edu
Eric W
EW
Lindsey
Yvonne M
YM
Caldera
Laura
L
Tankersley
D000328:Adult; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007615:Kansas; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010379:Peer Group; D010988:Play and Playthings / Q000523:psychology*