Child-related disagreement, conflict resolution strategies and child adjustment among families with toddler and preschool-aged children

The present study was designed to examine relations among parent ratings of child-related disagreement frequency, parent ratings of verbal aggression and of positive problem-solving frequency and parent ratings of child adjustment. One hundred and twelve couples volunteered for the study in response to advertisements published in newspapers or in community organizations/agencies (e.g., daycare centres, community centres, pediatric offices, etc.). Mothers (n = 112) and fathers (n = 108) with an eldest child who was a toddler or preschool-aged child independently responded to questionnaires. Their ratings of child behaviour problems and their ratings of satisfaction with the couple relationship were similar to those found in previous research with community samples. Compared to published data, couples in the present study reported a lower frequency of child-related disagreement and of verbal aggression strategies, and a higher frequency of positive problem-solving. Overall, they were a well-functioning sample of families with children who were perceived by parents as well-adjusted.; Mothers reported more frequent use of verbal aggression strategies than did fathers. Mothers of boys reported more frequent child-related disagreement and more frequent use of verbal aggression than did mothers of girls. Fathers perceived more externalizing problems among boys than among girls. Parent ratings of child-related disagreement were related to their ratings of child adjustment. Although parent ratings of conflict resolution strategies were less consistently associated with child behaviour problems, when examined in interaction with parent ratings of child-related disagreement, verbal aggression strategies moderated the relation between child-related disagreement and child adjustment among fathers of boys. Parent ratings of conflict resolution strategies did not mediate the relation. The findings of the present study emphasize the importance of examining relations separately for boys and girls as well as for mothers and fathers and indicate that patterns of relations found among families characterized by high disagreement, high intensity conflict may not generalize to samples of well-functioning, low disagreement families.