Parental separation and children's behavioral/emotional problems: the impact of parental representations and family conflict.
In this longitudinal study, we examine whether the effect of parental separation on kindergarten children's behavioral/emotional problems varies according to the level of family conflict, and children's parental representations. One hundred and eighty seven children were assessed at ages 5 and 6. Family conflict was assessed using parents' ratings. Children's parental representations were assessed using a story-stem task. A multiinformant approach (parent, teacher, child) was employed to assess children's behavioral/emotional problems. Bivariate results showed that separation, family conflict, and negative parental representations were associated with children's behavioral/emotional problems. However, in multivariate analyses, when controlling for gender and symptoms at age 5, we found that children of separated parents who showed negative parental representations had a significantly greater increase in conduct problems between 5 and 6 than all other children. In terms of emotional symptoms and hyperactivity, symptoms at 5 and (for hyperactivity only) gender were the only predictors for symptoms 1 year later. Our results suggest that kindergarten children's representations of parent-child relationships moderate the impact of parental separation on the development of conduct problems, and underline play and narration as a possible route to access the thoughts and feelings of young children faced with parental separation.
Stadelmann
Stephanie
S
Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Basel, Switzerland. stephanie.stadelmann@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Perren
Sonja
S
Groeben
Maureen
M
von Klitzing
Kai
K
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000209:etiology*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D004243:Divorce; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011594:Psychometrics; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires