Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Parent–Child Recurring Conflict: A Mediator Between Parental Anger Management And Adolescent Behavior, Erin Donohue, Linda C. Halgunseth, Sarah M. Chilenski, Daniel F. Perkins

Psychology Faculty Publications

Guided by social learning theory, this longitudinal study examined whether parent–child recurring conflict mediated the association between parental anger management, an understudied antecedent to parent–child recurring conflict, and adolescent deviant and problem-solving behaviors in 415 rural families. Parental use of anger management in 6th grade was associated with less parent–child recurring conflict in 9th grade, which was associated with more adolescent problem-solving behavior in 11th grade. Family practitioners seeking to promote adolescent problem-solving behaviors may consider teaching families strategies for reducing parent–child recurring conflict and fostering parental anger management.