Abstract
Although there is strong evidence for the effect of interparental conflict on adolescents’ internalizing and externalizing
problems, little is known about the effect on the quality of adolescents’ relationships. The current study investigates the
link between adolescents’ friendships and interparental conflict as reported by both parents and adolescents. It considers
early adolescents’ emotion regulation ability and attachment security as mediators. The analysis is based on a longitudinal
study with two waves separated by 12 months. The participants were 180 two-parent families and their adolescent children (50.5 %
girls), the average age of the latter being 10.61 years (SD = 0.41) at the outset (Time 1). Binomial logistic regression analysis
revealed that perceived interparental conflict increased the risk of instability in friendship relationships across the 1-year
period. Structural equation modeling analysis indicated that the association between perceived interparental conflict and
friendship quality was mediated by emotion regulation and attachment security. The discussion focuses on mechanisms whereby
interparental conflict influences early adolescents’ friendship relationships.
problems, little is known about the effect on the quality of adolescents’ relationships. The current study investigates the
link between adolescents’ friendships and interparental conflict as reported by both parents and adolescents. It considers
early adolescents’ emotion regulation ability and attachment security as mediators. The analysis is based on a longitudinal
study with two waves separated by 12 months. The participants were 180 two-parent families and their adolescent children (50.5 %
girls), the average age of the latter being 10.61 years (SD = 0.41) at the outset (Time 1). Binomial logistic regression analysis
revealed that perceived interparental conflict increased the risk of instability in friendship relationships across the 1-year
period. Structural equation modeling analysis indicated that the association between perceived interparental conflict and
friendship quality was mediated by emotion regulation and attachment security. The discussion focuses on mechanisms whereby
interparental conflict influences early adolescents’ friendship relationships.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Empirical Research
- Pages 1-13
- DOI 10.1007/s10964-012-9769-4
- Authors
- Beate Schwarz, Department of Applied Psychology, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Minervastr. 30, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
- Melanie Stutz, Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Thomas Ledermann, Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Journal Journal of Youth and Adolescence
- Online ISSN 1573-6601
- Print ISSN 0047-2891