INTERPARENTAL CONFLICT AND CHILD ADJUSTMENT

This article evaluates the past decade's research on the relationship between interparental conflict and children's behavioral, emotional, and social adjustment. Meta-analysis confirmed an overall conflict-adjustment relationship that was particularly strong and consistent across studies of behavioral outcomes. The article calls for further refinement of the general conflictadjustment relationship, particularly specification of the various dimensions of conflict and qualifications to limit applications to the particular populations that have been included in research. Secondary analysis is needed to differentiate the effects of family violence from other forms of discord and to compare outcomes for boys and girls. New research must extend inquiry to the full range of sociodemographic groups and family structures in our society. In the next decade, it is crucial to move beyond simple documentation of the general association between conflict and adjustment to identification of the specific conditions that put children at risk and safeguard them from harm.