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This version was published on August 1, 2008
The Journal of Early Adolescence, Vol. 28, No. 3, 428-454 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0272431608316602

Interparental Hostility and Early Adolescent Problem Behavior

Spillover via Maternal Acceptance, Harshness, Inconsistency, and Intrusiveness

Mark J. Benson

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, mbenson{at}vt.edu

Cheryl Buehler

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Jean M. Gerard

Bowling Green State University, Ohio

To explore the link between interparental hostility and adolescent problem behaviors, the current study examines four important maternal parenting dimensions as potential mediators: acceptance, harshness, inconsistency, and psychological intrusiveness. With a primary sample of 1,893 sixth-grade students, the measures included adolescent and teacher reports. Structural equation modeling revealed that each parenting construct partially mediated both internalizing and externalizing adolescent problems. Harshness was the strongest mediator for adolescent externalizing. Psychological intrusiveness and low maternal acceptance were the strongest mediators for adolescent internalizing. Inconsistency linked similarly to both internalizing and externalizing. Stronger linkages were found in families with married parents compared to those with divorced parents, but overall the patterns were similar. Youth gender and ethnic differences in the spillover processes were minimal. The findings provide a process model for understanding interparental conflict and adolescent problems.

Key Words: adolescence • adolescent development • interparental conflict • interparental hostility • marital conflict • parent-adolescent • parenting • problem behavior


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