inter-parental conflict, parent-child relationships and children's psychological adjustment

354 Pages·2013·9.71 MB·English

INTER-PARENTAL CONFLICT, PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS AND
CHILDREN’S PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR
THE FAMILY-SCHOOL INTERFACE
Jessica J. Aitken
Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Cardiff University
UMI Number: U584262
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DECLARATION
This work has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not
concurrently submittedin candidature for any degree.
Signed ...................(candidate) Date .. .30/09/2007........
STATEMENT 1
This thesis is being submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
of PhD.
Signed ... (candidate) Date: 30/09/2007
STATEMENT 2
This thesis is the result of my own independent work/investigation, except where
otherwise stated.
Other sources are^ackno^dedged by explicit references.
Signed ... (candidate) Date: 30/09/2007
STATEMENT 3
I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and
for inter-library loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside
organisations. a / f /
Signed (candidate) Date: 30/09/2007
STATEMENT 4: PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BAR ON ACCESS
I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and
for inter-library loans after expiry of a bar on access previously approved by the
Graduate Development Committee.
Signed (candidate) Date: 30/09/2007
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor Gordon Harold for guiding
and challenging me throughout the PhD process and for introducing me to fascinating
experiences in the field of family research. My thanks are also extended to the families
and the schools who took part in both studies contained in this thesis, whose time, effort
and interest in the research carried out is greatly appreciated. Special thanks also go to
Katherine Shelton and to Janet Whitley, Emma Howarth and Sasha Walters, who have
been a pleasure to work with and a constant source of support and advice. My
appreciation also extends to Lois Grayson, Paul Hutchings, Michal Tombs and Kathryn
Jones for their daily words of encouragement.
I would like to express my heart-felt gratitude to my parents, Jan and Tuck, who
taught me the fundamental importance of the two domains central to this thesis: family
and education. I thank them for their unswerving encouragement and complete
confidence in me over the years; they have been the impetus and the inspiration at every
stage. I am also extremely grateful to my sister Bekki, who has been a steadfast source of
support and laughter in equal measures.
I dedicate this thesis to Howard Deighton, who has been my “Atlas”, my anchor
and my inspiration over the last few years. And to Libby Deighton, who made the
transition into primary school during the write-up of thesis; who is a wonder and a
treasure to me, as well as a constant reminder that I still have many things to learn about
child development.
CONTENTS
Page
Chapter 1 1
Family Structure and Divorce 2
Social Influences on Children: Peers and Siblings 5
The Inter-Parental Relationship 9
The Parent-Child Relationship 11
From Documenting Links to Explaining Effects 14
Theoretical Overview 16
Learning Theory and Social Learning Theory 16
Attachment Theory 18
Family Systems Theory and Ecological Theory 20
Social Cognitive Theories 25
Links between Cognitions and Adjustment 27
A Summary of Theoretical Approaches 30
Inter-Parental Conflict and Parent-Child Relations: A Process Oriented
Approach 31
Inter-Parental Conflict and Child Adjustment: Effects Through the
Parent-Child Relationship 31
Inter-Parental Conflict and Child Adjustment: The Role of Child
Appraisals 33
Inter-Parental Conflict, Parent Child Relations and Child Adjustment: A
Combined Approach 36
iv
Family Relationship Effects on Children: Indices of Adjustment 38
Age and Gender: Moderating Effects 43
Summary and Thesis Focus 47
Chapter Outline 48
Chapter 2 51
Family Influences on School Outcomes 51
Socio-Economic Status and Other Wider Community Factors 52
Parenting Behaviour and Parent-Child Relations 55
Family Structure and Divorce 59
Exploring how Family Factors Impacts on School Performance: From
Family Effects to Family Process 63
Contextualising Family Effects: Familial Influences as Risk Factors 65
Family to School: The Transfer of Effects 69
Attributions and Academic Attainment 70
Psychological Adjustment and Academic Achievement 73
Family Process and Academic Functioning: A Summary of Mechanisms 74
An Integrated Perspective of Family-School Connections: The Role of
School-Level Influences 78
Summary of Chapters 1 and 2 81
Two Longitudinal Studies 85
The Welsh Family Study 87
The South Wales School Transition Study 89
v
Chapter 3 94
Introduction 94
Method 105
Results 110
Discussion 120
Chapter 4 127
Introduction 127
Method 138
Results 144
Discussion 157
Chapter 5 166
Introduction 166
Method 178
Results 184
Discussion 206
Chapter 6 216
Child Functioning in the UK: Current Assessments, Current Policy and the
Need for Policy and Practice Revision 218
International Policy 219
UK Policy 220
Frameworks for Service Delivery: Sure Start, Head Start and Children’s
Centres 224
US Frameworks 224
UK Frameworks 225
Welsh Provisions for Children and Families 226
Summary of Policy Frameworks 227
Implications of Research for Policy and Practice 228
Family Influences on School Adjustment 231
The Inter-parental Relationship 238
Divorce Proceedings 238
Non-Divorce-Based Interventions 242
The Child’s Perspective 245
School Influences 249
School Transition 253
Summary 259
Chapter 7 263
Collective Findings and Implications for Policy and Practice 270
Limitations and Future Directions 277
Summary 282
References 284
vii
SUMMARY
The collective body of research in this thesis applies a process-oriented
perspective to the investigation of family effects on children’s psychological, social and
school-based adjustment. Specifically, it investigates the role of children’s cognitions
relating to inter-parental and parent-child relationships and their symptoms of
psychological distress (internalising symptoms, externalising problems) as mechanisms
underlying links between inter-parental conflict, negative parenting and children’s
academic attainment. Using two distinct samples of families from the UK a systematic
programme of analyses was conducted.
First, the role of children’s perceptions of harsh, rejecting parenting was assessed
as a mechanism through which inter-parental conflict and parental hostility were related
to children’s behaviour problems, academic application and attainment in school. In
order to integrate family and school influences, the moderating role of school support in
the links between family influences and school outcomes was also examined in this
study. Second, analyses were extended to consider the role of children’s perceptions of
the inter-parental and the parent-child relationship in linking hostility between parents
(inter-parental conflict) to academic attainment. To clarify the nature of the relationships
between indices of psychological adjustment (internalising symptoms, externalising
problems) and academic attainment, these analyses also considered specific dimensions
of psychological adaptation as mediators of links between child appraisals and academic
adjustment. Finally, the importance of these appraisal processes in linking inter-parental
conflict to children’s adjustment during a time of recognised stress, the transition from
primary to secondary school, was investigated. Taken together, these analyses highlight
the role of children’s appraisals in linking inter-parental conflict and parent-child
relations to children’s adjustment in the school setting. Collectively, this body of
research provides a basis for making specific links between children’s experiences of
family life and their adjustment in the school context, presenting a systematic approach to
investigating the family-school interface with implications discussed for parents,
educators, practitioners and policy makers.