Family conflict and child adjustment: Evidence for a cognitive-contextual model of intergenerational transmission

Three cohorts of 10- to 14-year-old adolescents were sampled to obtain perc eptions of their parents' conflict-resolution styles, their own conflict-re solution styles, and their behavioral adjustment, to test J. H. Grych and F . D. Fincham's (1990) cognitive-contextual model of the relationship of mar ital conflict to child adjustment. As found previously, boys and girls were not exposed to different levels or types of interparental conflict, althou gh boys tended to blame themselves more. Adolescents' reports of their own conflict-resolution styles with siblings were clearly related to level and types of their more general adjustment levels. A series of regressions supp orted Grych and Fincham's model for internalizing problems (and avoidant re solution style) in adolescents; only minimal support was found with externa lizing problems (and attacking resolution style). Gender-specific patterns of intergenerational transmission of resolution styles were found and are d iscussed.