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Links between marital quality, the mother-child relationship and child behavior: a multi-level modelling approach

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 03:35 authored by Katharine M Mark, Alison PikeAlison Pike
We investigated the association between marital quality and child behavior, assessing mother–child relationship quality as a potential mediator. The sample included 78 mothers with two target children (mean ages = 9.82 and 12.05 years, respectively). Mothers reported on their children’s behavior as well as their marital quality, while each child reported on their relationship with their mother. Confirming our hypothesis, marital quality did relate to child behavior. Contrary to our expectations, the mother–child relationship provided negligible mediation of the link, but did provide significant prediction of child behavior in its own right. Importantly, our findings show differential outcomes for children within the same family, supporting a differentiated child-specific outlook. Further evidence that both marital quality and shared, as well as differential, mother–child relationships link with child behavior is provided here. Consequently, interventions with the aim of decreasing children’s behavioral problems and increasing more positive conduct can usefully include a focus on the nature of the parents’ romantic relationship, alongside parenting.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

International Journal of Behavioral Development

ISSN

0165-0254

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Issue

2

Volume

41

Page range

285-294

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2016-10-18

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2016-10-18

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2016-10-17

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