Nadelige Effecten van Loyaliteitsconflicten en de Rol van Ouderlijke Warmte bij Kinderen uit Gescheiden Gezinnen: Een Onderzoek naar Internaliserende Problemen

Abstract

Children with divorced parents are more likely to experience feelings of having to choose between their parents compared to their peers whose parents are still together. These loyalty conflicts have been linked to internalizing problems, which can have negative effects on children's development. Although previous studies have shown a positive association between loyalty conflict and internalizing problems, there is no consensus in the literature regarding whether parental warmth acts as a protective factor in this context. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between parental warmth, internalizing problems, and the potential protective role of parental warmth in a sample of 131 children (Mage = 11.79) and 129 parents from 76 recently separated families. Consistent with the hypotheses, the findings revealed a positive association between loyalty conflict and internalizing problems. Additionally, maternal warmth was negatively correlated with internalizing problems. However, contrary to expectations, there was no significant association found between paternal warmth and internalizing problems, nor was parental warmth found to act as a protective factor. Given the limitations of the current research, caution should be exercised when interpreting these results. These findings underpinned the need for increased awareness among divorced parents regarding the potential impact of their actions on their children. Furthermore, early interventions following divorce could be implemented to mitigate the adverse effects of loyalty conflicts on children's internalizing problems.