Intergenerational transmission of high conflict family environment

Intergenerational transmission of high conflict family environment Public Deposited

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Creator

Rothenberg, William Andrew
- Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience

Abstract

The current study examined whether family conflict is passed from one generation to the next within families, and explored potential mediators and moderators which could explain this continuity. The study utilized a multigenerational longitudinal data set to examine family conflict as reported by multiple reporters from three successive generations in 246 families. Results showed that conflict in the current family was strongly correlated with that of the family of origin in women but not in men. Continuity in family conflict across generations was mediated by patterns of elevated adolescent antisocial behavior in members of the second generation (G2). Additionally, analyses revealed an interaction between G2 and G2 partner antisocial behavior such that even if just one partner in the G2 family demonstrated high levels of antisocial behavior, elevated levels of family conflict resulted. Potential explanations and implications of these findings are considered.

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