MARITAL AGGRESSION, OBSERVED PARENTAL HOSTILITY, AND CHILD-BEHAVIOR DURING TRIADIC FAMILY-INTERACTION

This study used direct observation to examine how a history of exposur e to interparental aggression relates to children's behavior during co nflict with both parents present. Ninety 2-parent families with a chil d 9-13 years of age participated. Consistent with a sensitization hypo thesis, results indicated that exposure to interparental physical aggr ession during the previous year was related to child withdrawal, anxie ty, and distraction during a family discussion task. In addition, the interaction between reported interparental aggression and observed chi ld-directed hostility accounted for significant variance in boys' beha vior. Follow-up correlation analyses revealed that boys who had been e xposed to physical marital aggression were more anxious and distractin g when their parents were more hostile toward them during the discussi on, whereas boys who had not been exposed withdrew more.