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CHILDREN’S ANXIETY AND THEIR PERCEPTION OF PARENTAL
CONFLICT
A.F. Díaz-Cárdenas, G. Flores, A. Díaz-Furlong, M.R. SankeyGarcía
Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (MEXICO)
[email protected], [email protected],
[email protected], [email protected]
Interparental conflict occurs to some extent in all
marriages; however children experience it differently
depending on children cognitive appraisals of the
conflict.
Different types of cognitions are involved in appraisal
parental conflict . Some of these can be related to
consequences on children adjustment and mental health.
Children’s perception of interparental conflict can
contribute to a pessimistic view of life or to an increased
vulnerability and uncertainty for the future.
Children’s anxiety can be activated by their perception of
interparental problems. Factors such as conflict intensity
and perceived threat can be related to children wellbeing.
One hundred eleven fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade
children (9-12 years old) attending private school in
Puebla city (Mexico), participated in this study. Parents
and children voluntarily participated. All children
received parental consent to participate in our
research. These elementary urban pupils belong to a
medium socio-economic level.
Data Analysis
To perform the reliability analysis and compute the
Pearson correlation coefficient we use both IBM SPSS
and GNU PSPP, obtaining quite similar results.
Children answered six items about parental conflict
intensity and six items on perceived threat from our
Spanish-language version of the Children’s Perception of
Interparental Conflict Scale. The internal reliability of the
CPIC subscales was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha. Both
subscales exhibited an acceptable level of internal
consistency (alpha = 0.76 and alpha = 0.69 respectively).
They also answered 18 selected items from the Escala de
Ansiedad Manifiesta en Niños in order to assess general
anxiety, poor concentration, fatigue, failure fear [3].After
reading each statement children selected the word yes if
they thought the assertion is sort of true about them. On
the contrary they chose the word no. This combined scale
attained a suitable level of internal consistency (alpha =
0.83).
RESULTS
We found a significant correlation between intensity
subscale of the CPIC and general anxiety (r = .50; p < 0.01).
On the other hand we also found a significant correlation
between perceived threat subscale of the CPIC and general
anxiety (r = .54; p < 0.01).
There were also a significant correlation between the two
considered subscales of the CPIC (r = 0.30; p < 0.05).
Correlation coefficients
anxiety
Pearson
Correlation
Sig. (twotailded test)
threat
intensity
0.54
0.5
0.00
0.00
CONCLUSIONS
Elementary school children (9-12 years old) can be affected by
their perception of interparental conflict. In particular we
found an important relation between anxiety and children's
perception of parental conflict intensity, as well as, an
increased perceived threat derived from interparental
conflict.
Our results substantiate the mediating role of children´s
perceptions, interpretations and beliefs about family conflicts.
Children’s anxiety signals and their development can be
associated to those cognitions. Perception of threat promotes
children´s anxious concerns. Likewise, children’s rating of the
degree to which they perceive parental conflict intensity was
significantly associated with their anxiogenic beliefs.
Notwithstanding it is not ruled out that children´s anxiety
increases interparental conflict intensity perception and the
perceived threat associated to it.
It is important to analyse children's perceptions and
cognitions that could promote beliefs about self-vulnerability
and external threats. Children and their parents need to
know how negative beliefs promote cognitive distortions
related to anxiety. Particularly, children require being
oriented about the actual possibility that something
unpleasant or violent could happen. Children’s vulnerability
beliefs are greatly associated to general anxiety, poor
concentration, fatigue, and failure fear.
Parental conflict seems to be inevitable and children must
learn to analise their thoughts about conflict intensity and
possible threats for their families. Children also need to be
critical with respect to their cognitive distortions.
Vulnerability constitutes an important issue to work about
anywhere interparental conflict is constant.