Mothers' and fathers' mentalization as moderators of the association between marital conflict and children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors

Objective: Investigating concordance between parents' mentalization and their moderating effects on the link between children's exposure to marital conflict and internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Background: Marital conflict is a risk factor for children's behavior. Mentalizat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Family relations 2024-04, Vol.73 (2), p.703-719
Main Authors: Swisa, Roga Koren, Hanetz-Gamliel, Keren, Dollberg, Daphna G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adjustment
Adversity
Aggression
Behavior
Behavior Problems
Behavior Rating Scales
Check Lists
Child Advocacy
Child Behavior
Child Behavior Checklist
Child Development
Child Rearing
Children
Children & youth
Cohabitation
Conflict
Constructive conflict
Couples
Developmental Tasks
Families & family life
Family (Sociological Unit)
Fathers
Gender Differences
Heterosexuality
Hyperactivity
Individual Characteristics
Internalization
Low income groups
Marital relations
Marriage
Moderators
Mothers
Parental conflict
Parents
Parents & parenting
Preschool Children
Psychological Needs
Reading Ability
Risk factors
School Readiness
Skills
Socialization
Stress
System theory
Systems Approach
Television
Well being
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Summary:Objective: Investigating concordance between parents' mentalization and their moderating effects on the link between children's exposure to marital conflict and internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Background: Marital conflict is a risk factor for children's behavior. Mentalization is a parental strength that can protect children's well-being in the face of adversity. Little is known about parental mentalization within the family context. Method: Cohabiting, heterosexual Israeli couples (TV = 89) with a 3- to 5-year-old child were interviewed individually to assess their mentalization skills (mind-mindedness). Reports of the child's exposure to marital conflict using the O'Leary-Porter Scale of Marital Conflict and externalizing and internalizing behaviors using the Child Behavior Checklist were obtained. Results: There was limited accord between parents' mentalization within each couple. The positive associations between conflict exposure and children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors were mitigated when the parents' mentalization skills were matched or when the mother's mentalization skills were high. A significant three-way interaction emerged such that the contribution of the father's mentalization skills to the prediction of children's externalizing and internalizing behavior depended on the mentalization skills of the mother and the level of exposure to conflict. Conclusion: Coordinated, high levels of parental mentalization can mitigate the negative impact of exposing children to parental conflict. Implications: Parental mentalization can mitigate children's exposure to marital conflict. Enhancing parental mentalization is an important treatment goal for the family and for the child. Family interventions can benefit from evaluating each parent's initial parental mentalization skills to determine whether the parental couple share a similar level of this capacity. Detecting and addressing gaps between the parents in their parental mentalization skills can facilitate coordinated and shared parenting.
ISSN:0197-6664
0197-6664
DOI:10.1111/fare.l2926