Abstract
Children's feelings of nonacceptance and their perceptions of their parents' marital discord were related to parental measures of marital satisfaction and behavior problems in the children. In a sample of 50 clinic children, it was found that (1) marital discord, as predicted, was most strongly related to conduct problems in boys, (2) boys and girls perceived parental marital discord with equal and moderate accuracy, and (3) children's feelings of nonacceptance were not significantly related to ratings of marital discord. These findings are discussed as they relate to etiological explanations of the impact of marital discord on children.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Achenbach, T. M., & Edelbrock, C. S. The classifications of child psychopathology: A review and analysis of empirical efforts.Psychological Bulletin, 1978,85, 1275–1301.
Armentrout, J. A. Parental child-rearing attitudes and préadolescents' problem behaviors.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1971,35, 278–285.
Ausubel, D. P., Balthazar, E. E., Rosenthal, I., Blackman, L. S., Schpoont, S. H., & Welkowitz, J. Perceived parent attitudes as determinants of children's ego structure.Child Development, 1954,25, 173–183.
Bandura, A.Principles of behavior modification. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1969.
Becker, W. C., Peterson, D. R., Hellmer, L. A., Shoemaker, D. J., & Quay, H. S. Factors in parental behavior and personality as related to problem behavior in children.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1959,23, 107–118.
Bettelheim, B.The empty fortress. New York: The Free Press, 1967.
Bowlby, J.Attachment and loss, Vol. I. Attachment. London: Hogarth, 1969.
Chawla, P. L., & Gupt, K. A comparative study of parents of emotionally disturbed and normal children.British Journal of Psychiatry, 1979,134, 406–411.
Clark, D. B., & Baker, B. L.Training of developmentally disabled children: Prediction of follow-up outcome. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, New York, 1979.
Hetherington, E. M. Effects of father absence on personality development in adolescent daughters.Developmental Psychology, 1972,7, 313–326.
Hetherington, E. M., Cox, M., & Cox, R. The aftermath of divorce. In J. H. Stevens & M. Mathews,Mother/child father/child relationships. Washington: National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1978.
Jacobson, N. S., & Martin, B. Behavioral marriage therapy: Current status.Psychological Bulletin, 1976,83, 540–556.
Kent, R. N., & O'Leary, K. D. A controlled evaluation of behavior modification with conduct problem children.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1976,44, 586–596.
Kimmel, D., & Van Der Veen, F. Factors of marital adjustment in Locke's Marital Adjustment Test.Journal of Marriage and the Family, 1974,36, 57–63.
Lener, R. M., & Spanier, G. B.Child influences on marital and family interaction: A life-span perspective. New York: Academic Press, 1978.
Locke, H. J., & Wallace, K. M. Short marital-adjustment and prediction tests: Their reliability and validity.Marriage and Family Living, 1959,21, 251–255.
Margolies, P. J., & Weintraub, S. The revised 56-item CRPBI as a research instrument: Reliability and factor structure.Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1977,33, 472–476.
Margolin, G., & Patterson, G. R. Differential consequences provided by mothers and fathers for their sons and daughters.Developmental Psychology, 1975,11, 537–538.
Mischel, W. Toward a cognitive social learning reconceptualization of personality.Psychological Review, 1973,80, 252–283.
Oltmanns, T. F., Broderick, J. E., & O'Leary, K. D. Marital adjustment and the efficacy of behavior therapy with children.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1977,45, 724–729.
Patterson, G. R., Cobb, J. A., & Ray, R. S. A social engineering technology for retraining the families of aggressive boys. In H. E. Adams & I. P. Unikel (Eds.),Issues and trends in behavior therapy, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1973.
Patterson, G. R., Weiss, R. L., & Hops, H. Training in marital skills: Some problems and concepts. In H. Leitenberg (Ed.),Handbook of behavior modification and behavior therapy. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1976.
Porter, B., & O'Leary, K. D. Types of marital discord and child behavior problems.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 1980,8, 287–295.
Quay, H. C. Measuring dimensions of deviant behavior: The Behavior Problem Checklist.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 1977,5, 277–287.
Quay, H. C., & Peterson, D. R.Manual for the Behavior Problem Checklist, 1979. (Available from D. R. Peterson, 39 North Fifth, Highland Park, New Jersey 08904.)
Rutter, M. Sex differences in response to family stress. In E. J. Anthony & C. Koupernik, (Eds.),The child in his family. New York: Wiley, 1970.
Rutter, M. Parent-child separation: Psychological effects on the children.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1971,12, 233–260.
Rutter, M. Maternal deprivation, 1972–1978; New findings, new concepts, new approaches.Child Development, 1979,50, 282–305.
Rutter, M., Graham, P., Chadwick, O. F. D., & Yule, W. Adolescent turmoil: Fact or fiction?Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1976,17, 35–56.
Schaefer, E. S. Children's reports of parental behavior: An inventory.Child Development, 1965,86, 413–424.
Sears, R. R. Sources of life satisfactions of the Terman Gifted Men.American Psychologist, 1977,32, 119–128.
Speer, D. C. Behavior Problem Checklist (Peterson-Quay): Base-line data from parents of child guidance and nonclinic children.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1971,36, 221–228.
Wallerstein, J. S., & Kelly, J. B.Surviving the breakup. New York: Basic Books, 1980.
Whitehead, L. Sex differences in children's responses to family stress: A re-evaluation.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1979,20, 247–254.
Wolkind, S., & Rutter, M. Children who have been “in care” — An epidemiological study.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1973,14, 97–105.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Emery, R.E., O'Leary, K.D. Children's perceptions of marital discord and behavior problems of boys and girls. J Abnorm Child Psychol 10, 11–24 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00915948
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00915948