SOUTH BEND, Ind., Feb. 10 (UPI) -- U.S. studies have found that parental conflict can have significant effects on children's emotional development.
In one case, researchers from Notre Dame, the University of Rochester and Catholic University of America tracked one group of 226 parents with children aged 9 to 18 and a second group of 232 parents with younger children. Both groups were followed for three years.
The study found that parental fighting affects children's confidence and ability to move forward. Mark Cummings, a psychology professor at Notre Dame, said that good parental relationships become a secure base or bridge for children.
"When destructive marital conflict erodes the bridge, children may lack confidence and become hesitant to move forward, or may move forward in a dysregulated way, unable to find appropriate footing within themselves or in interaction with others," he said.
In another study, researchers from Notre Dame and Rochester studied the longterm impact of different types of conflict on children. They found that both open fighting and parental coldness affects children for months.
The studies were published in Child Development.
