Research%20has%20demonstrated%20an%20association%20between%20familial%20stressors%20such%20as%20interparental%20conflict%20and%20parent-child%20conflict%20and%20adolescent%20adjustment%20problems%20(Margolin%20et%20al.,%202001).%20Children%20who%20are%20exposed%20to%20marital%20conflict%20manifest%20internalizing

1
Positive Peer Relationships as Protective Factors
against Family Stress Renee L. DeBoard John H.
Grych
Grant Funding Provided By NIMH MH60294-01
Discussion Positive relationships moderated
the impact of familial stressors on adolescents
adjustment. As children grow and mature into
adolescents, peer relationships become more
important than family relationships and provide
intimacy, companionship, and comfort (Lempers
Clark-Lempers, 1992). These relationships seem
to protect adolescents from the negative impact
typically associated with exposure to
interparental and parent-child conflict. Of
particular note is the fact that best friends,
but not broader friendships moderated the
influence of family stress on adolescents
adjustment. Having one very close friend may
provide teens with a greater sense of belonging
and understanding than they obtain from a more
general friend base, which may protect them from
maladjustment. Further research should
investigate the presence of positive factors
rather than the absence of negative ones in order
to further understanding of the processes that
lead to adolescents adaptive adjustment in
response to family stressors. Externalizing
Problems Adolescents who had a close
relationship with a best friend demonstrated
fewer aggressive behaviors when they were exposed
to interparental and mother-child
conflict. Feeling close to a best friend may
provide adolescents with a secure environment
where they can express their anger adaptively,
rather than acting out. In this sense, best
friends may serve as an outlet for teens to
engage in catharsis of negative emotions. Best
friends may also directly inform their peers that
their responses to situations are inappropriate
and may help them establish more adaptive ways of
expressing their anger (Criss et al., 2002).
Internalizing Problems Internalizing
problems were reduced following interparental
conflict and mother-child conflict when
adolescents had satisfying dating relationships
the same pattern was found in the context of
father-child conflict when adolescents were close
to their best friend. Dating relationships and
best friends may provide teens with a sense of
belonging and security. Having supportive
relationships has been shown to increase teens
self-esteem (Bolger et al., 1998), which may
alleviate symptoms of depression and
anxiety. Dating Aggression Having a close
relationship with a best friend also protected
adolescents from perpetrating dating aggression
following parent-child conflict. The supportive
environment provided by a close best friend may
counteract the impulse to act out aggressively
after a child has been maltreated. Best friends
may also act as a model for appropriate behavior
and emotion regulation (Bandura, 1986).
Selected References Criss, M.M., Pettit, G.S.,
Bates, J.E., Dodge, K.A., Lapp, A.L. (2002).
Family adversity, positive peer relationships,
and childrens externalizing behavior A
longitudinal perspective on risk and resilience.
Child Development, 73, 1220-1237. Cummings,
E.M., Davies, P.T. (1994). Children and marital
conflict. NY Guilford. Forehand, R., McCombs,
A., Long, N., Brody, G., Fauber, R. (1988).
Early adolescent adjustment to recent parental
divorce The role of interparental conflict and
adolescent sex as mediating variables. Journal of
Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56,
624-627. Grych, J.H., Fincham, F.D. (1990).
Marital conflict and childrens adjustment A
cognitive-contextual framework. Psychological
Bulletin, 108, 267-290. Grych, J.H., Harold,
G.T., Miles, C.T. (2003). A prospective
investigation of appraisals as mediators of the
link between interparental conflict and child
adjustment. Child Development, 74,
1176-1193. OKeefe, M. (1996). Predictors of
dating violence among high school students.
Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 12, 546-568.
Measures IPPA closeness to general peers
(Armsden Greenberg, 1987) CTS parent-child
conflict (Straus, 1979) CPIC properties of
interparental conflict (Grych et al., 1992) FQQ
closeness to a best friend (Parker Asher,
1993) YSR childrens maladjustment (Achenbach,
1991) CADRI dating aggression (Wolfe,
2001) Dating satisfaction questions Results Corre
lations between predictor and outcome
variables Externalizing
Problems Interparental Conflict Having a close
relationship with a best friend buffered
adolescents from externalizing problems (low ß
.34, plt.01 middle ß .36, plt.01 high ß
-.04, n.s.). Parent-Child Conflict With
mother-child conflict, a close relationship with
a best friend led to lower levels of
externalizing behaviors (low ß .53, plt.01
middle ß .42, plt.01 high ß .29,
plt.01). Level of Closeness to a Best
Friend Moderating Externalizing Problems
Interparental Conflict
Mother-Child Conflict Interna
lizing Problems Interparental Conflict Dating
satisfaction buffered against internalizing
problems (low ß .44, plt.01 middle ß .16,
n.s. high ß .06, n.s.). Parent-Child
Conflict Dating satisfaction buffered against
internalizing problems in the context of
mother-child conflict (low ß .46, plt.01
middle ß .42, plt.01 high ß .001, n.s.) and
father-child conflict (low ß .25, p .06
middle ß .44, plt.01 high ß -.02, n.s.).
With father-child conflict, a close relationship
with a best friend buffered against
internalizing problems (low ß .42, plt.01
middle ß .28, p.01 high ß .14, n.s.).
Dating Satisfaction Moderating Internalizing
Problems
Interparental Conflict
Mother-Child Conflict
Father-Child Conflict Level of Closeness
to a Best Friend Moderating Internalizing
Problems Father-Child Conflict Dating
Aggression Interparental Conflict No significant
interactions were found. Interparental conflict
did not predict dating aggression. Parent-Child
Conflict Having a close best friend buffered
against perpetrating dating aggression in the
context of mother-child (low ß .35, plt.05
middle ß .25, plt.05 high ß .10, n.s.) and
father-child (low ß .46, plt.01 middle ß
-.05, n.s. high ß -.07, n.s.) conflict. Level
of Closeness to a Best Friend Moderating Dating
Aggression Mother-Child Conflict
Father-Child Conflict
Introduction Research has demonstrated an
association between familial stressors such as
interparental conflict and parent-child conflict
and adolescent adjustment problems (Margolin et
al., 2001). Children who are exposed to marital
conflict manifest internalizing and externalizing
problems (Cummings Davies, 1994 Grych
Fincham, 1990 Grych et al., 2003) and as
adolescents, exhibit social maladjustment
(Forehand et al., 1988). Children exposed to
marital violence have been shown to be violent
towards an adult partner (Ehrensaft et al.,
2003). Adolescents who are involved in
parent-child conflict also exhibit more
internalizing and externalizing problems
(OKeefe, 1996). Despite the relationship between
familial stressors and adjustment problems, some
children are not affected as greatly as others,
yet little is known about this process (Cichetti
et al., 1993). Positive peers have been related
to this reduction in problems. Bolger et al.
(1998) found higher levels of self-esteem in
maltreated 8-10-year-olds when they had
high-quality friendships. Peer acceptance has
also been shown to moderate the relationship
between interparental conflict and externalizing
behaviors in 5-year-olds (Criss et al.,
2002). Specific types of friendships may have
different meanings for adolescents. Best friends
and dating relationships may provide more support
and understanding than a general peer group and
may be more meaningful for them. For this
reason, best friends and dating relationships may
have more impact as protective factors for
adolescents exposed to family stressors Studies
of childrens adjustment following interparental
and parent-child conflict have primarily focused
on peer relationships as predictors or outcome
variables. This study seeks to investigate the
moderating impact of peer relationships as a
process variable that helps explain adolescent
adjustment following interparental and
parent-child conflict. Study Goals Investigate
the moderating relationship of best-friends,
close friendships, and dating satisfaction on
adolescents internalizing and externalizing
problems and dating aggression in the context of
1.) interparental conflict
and 2.) parent-child conflict. Method Participant
s N 326 ethnically diverse high school
students (median age 16.5) 197 females (60)
12 males (40). Procedure Students completed
surveys as a group in their classroom in a
Milwaukee area high school.