Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- 1 Conflict in context
- 2 Understanding different types of conflict
- 3 The impact of inter-parental conflict on children
- 4 How does inter-parental conflict affect children?
- 5 Risk and resilience: why are some children affected more than others?
- 6 Review of conflict-based interventions for couples
- 7 Implications for practice: How to help families
- 8 Conclusions and recommendations
- References
- Index
1 - Conflict in context
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 February 2022
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface
- 1 Conflict in context
- 2 Understanding different types of conflict
- 3 The impact of inter-parental conflict on children
- 4 How does inter-parental conflict affect children?
- 5 Risk and resilience: why are some children affected more than others?
- 6 Review of conflict-based interventions for couples
- 7 Implications for practice: How to help families
- 8 Conclusions and recommendations
- References
- Index
Summary
There is growing interest and recognition regarding the importance of couple relationships and how they can influence child wellbeing. A large body of evidence exists which documents the significance of parental relationships on children's social, emotional, cognitive, behavioural and physical development. Inter-parental conflict (conflict between a child's parents) is one area which appears to have considerable impact on child outcomes.
It is not simply the presence of conflict per se which affects outcomes for children, but rather the characteristics of this conflict and how parents deal with it that seems to matter most. Conflict is particularly destructive to children when it is frequent, unresolved, intense, or about the child (Cummings and Davies, 2010). This book reviews the latest evidence showing how children who experience high levels of destructive conflict between their parents are at serious risk not only in terms of their own wellbeing, but also in relation to the perpetuation of these behaviours later in life.
This book focuses on recent research, over the last 10 years and provides an insight into the outcomes for children of exposure to destructive conflict as well as how children are affected, and why some children appear more vulnerable than others. In other words, there is more of an understanding of ‘why, when, and how’ parental conflict affects some but not all children. Specifically, reviewed research into the physiological and neurobiological impacts, in addition to the intergenerational transmission of conflict, are particularly innovative additions.
Another key area of emerging evidence is in relation to conflict interventions delivered to couples and parents. Evidence suggests that involving couples in intervention activities and focusing on elements of the couple relationship is more effective than those which deal solely on improving parenting (Cowan et al., 2011). A variety of programmes, with different approaches in terms of content and goals, are outlined. What unites the interventions covered in this publication is a shared emphasis on the importance of working with couples, whether they are together or separated, with a focus placed on early intervention. The evidence is assessed to identify what aspects of these interventions appear to be most effective, and areas for future research are highlighted.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Parental ConflictOutcomes and Interventions for Children and Families, pp. 1 - 12Publisher: Bristol University PressPrint publication year: 2014