De samenhang tussen ouderlijke conflicten en probleemgedrag van kinderen en adolescenten uit intacte en gescheiden gezinnen.

Abstract

In this bachelor thesis the hypothesis was evaluated that there is a relationship between family structure, parental conflict and childrens behavior problems. The problem investigated was to find out if there is a correlation between childrens behavior problems and the conflicts between their parents, if this is different in intact and divorced families and if this relationship is different for boys and girls. Data for this study were collected as part of an extensive research project: Students and Families. This is a cross-sequential study that has started in 2006 and is carried out every two years. In the data collection of 2016 a community sample of 518 High School students, aged 12 to 16, were approached. A self-report questionnaire for internalising and externalising behavior problems and parental conflicts was administered in their classroom. The hypothesis was tested by comparing the difference in behavior problems from youth from intact and divorced families, by comparing the relationship between parental conflicts and their childrens problem behavior and by comparing parental conflicts in intact and divorced families. The results indicated that the self-reported internalizing behavior problems were significantly higher in postdivorce families than in intact families and that there was no significant difference in the amount of externalizing behavior problems. Internalising and externalizing behavior problems were significantly and positively related to parental conflicts and, as was expected, there were significantly more parental conflicts in postdivorce families. There was no significant difference between boys and girls in the level of problems related to parental conflicts. Both sexes were affected to the same degree. From this study – in line with previous research – it can be concluded that there are significantly more child behavior problems in postdivorce families compared to intact families. These behavior problems are strongly influenced by the conflicts between parents. Therefore it is important for interventions with children with problem behavior to be aware of the influence that parental conflicts can have on a childs behavior and to involve parents in the interventions