Children's Behavioral Problems, Inter-Parental Conflict, and Maternal Psychological Distress

Background: Previous studies conducted to demonstrate the association between children’s behavioral problems, interparental conflict, and maternal psychological distress have reported mixed findings. This paper examines the relationships between these three factors. Methods: School children were interviewed to complete a questionnaire regarding interparental conflict and their own behavioral problems, and their parents were requested to fill out the Chinese Health Questionnaire at home. A total of 2,218 first graders and 2,075 fourth graders completed the study. Results: Higher interparental conflict was significantly associated with more externalizing and internalizing behavioral problems for children in both grades. It also showed that fourth-grade girls were more likely than fourth-grade boys to have internalizing problems, but that boys as a whole were more likely than girls to have externalizing behavioral problems. Maternal psychological distress was not significantly predictive of children’s behavioral problems. Conclusions: Compared to maternal psychological distress, gender and exposure to inter-parental conflict appears to have a greater influence on children’s behavioral problems.