Psychological Development and Education ›› 2018, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (4): 434-442.doi: 10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2018.04.07

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Interparental Conflict Compromises Adolescents' Academic Achievement: The Indirect Roles of Effortful Control and Classroom Engagement

WANG Mingzhong, WANG Mengran, WANG Jing   

  1. School of Education, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, China
  • Online:2018-07-15 Published:2018-07-15

PDF (PC)

Abstract: To examine the possible mechanisms underlying the relation between interparental conflict and adolescent academic achievement, 815 middle school students were conveniently chosen as our subjects to fill in the Conflict Properties Scale, the effortful Control subscale, the Classroom Engagement Scale. As indicators of adolescents' academic achievement, the final examination results in Chinese, mathematics and English were obtained from the school administrative personnel. The results indicated that, (1) interparental conflict could directly and negatively predict adolescents' classroom engagement and their academic achievement, (2) interparental conflict could indirectly and negatively influence adolescent academic achievement via the mediator of effortful control, (3) interparental conflict could successively compromise adolescents' effortful control and classroom engagement, resulting in poor academic achievement. Our findings not only inspire educational personnel to attach importance to the role of interparental conflict as familial risk factors for adolescents' poor academic achievement, but also promote parents to consciously reduce interparental conflict to create a harmonious family environment for the development of adolescents' effortful control and academic achievement.

Key words: interparental conflict, effortful control, classroom engagement, academic achievement

CLC Number: 

  • G442

Appleton, J. J., Christenson, S. L., & Furlong, M. J. (2008). Student engagement with school:critical conceptual and methodological issues of the construct. Psychology in the Schools, 45, 369-386.

Archambault, I., Janosz, M., Morizot, J., & Pagani, L. (2009). Adolescent behavioral, affective, and cognitive engagement in school:Relationship to dropout. Journal of School Health,79, 408-415.

Bariola, E., Gullone, E., & Hughes, E. K. (2011). Child and adolescent emotion regulation:The role of parental emotion regulation and expression. Clinical Child and Family Psychology review,14, 198-212.

Blair, C., & Razza, R. P. (2007). Relating effortful control, executive function, and false belief understanding to emerging math and literacy ability in kindergarten. Child Development, 78, 647-663.

Boekaerts, M., & Corno, L. (2005). Self-regulation in the classroom:A perspective on assessment and intervention. Applied Psychology. An International Review, 54, 199-231.

Capaldi, D. M., & Rothbart, M. K. (1992). Development and validation of an early adolescent temperament measure. Journal of Early Adolescence, 12, 153-173.

Christenson, S. L., Reschly, A. L., & Wylie, C. (Eds.). (2012). Handbook of research on student engagement. New York, NY:Springer Science.

Connell, J. P., & Wellborn, J. G. (1991). Competence, autonomy and relatedness:A motivational analysis of self-system processes. In Minnesota symposium on child psychology, 23, 43-77.

Cummings, E. M., & Davies, P. T. (2002). Effects of marital conflict on children:Recent advances and emerging themes in process-oriented research. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry,43, 31-63.

Dadds, M. R., Atkinson, E., Turner, C., Blums, G. J., & Lendich, B. (1999). Family conflict and child adjustment:Evidence for a cognitive-contextual model of intergenerational transmission. Journal of Family Psychology,13, 194-208.

David, K. M., & Murphy, B. C. (2007). Interparental conflict and preschoolers' peer relations:The moderating roles of temperament and gender. Social Development,16, 1-23.

Davies, P. T., Winter, M. A., & Cicchetti, D. (2006). The implications of emotional security theory for understanding and treating childhood psychopathology. Development and Psychopathology,18, 707-735.

Davies, P. T., & Woitach, M. J. (2008). Children's emotional security in the interparental relationship. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 17, 269-274.

Dotterer, A. M., & Lowe, K. (2011). Classroom context, school engagement, and academic achievement in early adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence,40, 1649-1660.

Eiden, R. D., Edwards, E. P., & Leonard, K. E. (2007). A conceptual model for the development of externalizing behavior problems among kindergarten children of alcoholic families:Role of parenting and children's self-regulation. Developmental Psychology, 43, 1187-1201.

Eisenberg, N., Sadovsky, A., & Spinrad, T. L. (2005). Associations of emotion-related regulation with language skills, emotion knowledge, and academic outcomes. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development,109, 109-118.

Eisenberg, N., Sadovsky, A., Spinrad, T. L., Fabes, R. A., Losoya, S. H., Valiente, C., et al. (2005). The relations of problem behavior status to children's negative emotionality, effortful control, and impulsivity:Concurrent relations and prediction of change. Developmental Psychology, 41, 193-211.

Eisenberg, N., Smith, C. L., Sadovsky, A., & Spinrad, T. L. (2004). Effortful control:Relations with emotion regulation, adjustment, and socialization in childhood. In R. F. Baumeister & K. D. Vohs (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation:Research, theory, and applications (pp. 259-282). New York, NY:Guilford Press.

Fabes, R. A., Martin, C. L., Hanish, L. D., Anders, M. C., & Madden-Derdich, D. A. (2003). Early school competence:The roles of sex-segregated play and effortful control. Developmental Psychology, 39, 848-858.

Finkenauer, C., Engels, R., & Baumeister, R. (2005). Parenting behaviour and adolescent behavioural and emotional problems:The role of self-control. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 29, 58-69.

Furrer, C., & Skinner, E. (2003). Sense of relatedness as a factor in children's academic engagement and performance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95, 148-162.

Greene, B. A., & Miller, R. B. (1996). Influences on achievement:Goals, perceived ability, and cognitive engagement. Contemporary Educational Psychology,21, 181-192.

Grych, J. H. (2005). Interparental conflict as a risk factor for child maladjustment:Implications for the development of prevention programs. Family Court Review,43, 97-108.

Grych, J. H., Seid, M., & Fincham, F. D. (1992). Assessing marital conflict from the child's perspective:The Children's Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale. Child Development, 63, 558-572.

Gumora, G., & Arsenio, W. F. (2002). Emotionality, emotion regulation, and school performance in middle school children. Journal of School Psychology,40, 395-413.

Haj-Yahia, M. M., & de Zoysa, P. (2008). Rates and psychological effects of exposure to family violence among Sri Lankan university students. Child Abuse & Neglect,32, 994-1002.

Harold, G. T., Shelton, K. H., Goeke-Morey, M. C., & Cummings, E. M. (2004). Marital conflict, child emotional security about family relationships and child adjustment. Social Development, 13, 350-376.

Helme, S., & Clarke, D. (2001). Identifying cognitive engagement in the mathematics classroom. Mathematics Education Research Journal,13, 133-153.

Hoover-Dempsey, K. V., & Sandler, H. M. (1995). Parental involvement in children's education:Why does it make a difference? Teachers College Record, 97, 310-331.

Iyer, R. V., Kochenderfer-Ladd, B., Eisenberg, N., & Thompson, M. (2010). Peer victimization and effortful control:relations to school engagement and academic achievement. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 56, 361-387.

Kouros, C. D., Cummings, E. M., & Davies, P. T. (2010). Early trajectories of interparental conflict and externalizing problems as predictors of social competence in preadolescence. Development and Psychopathology,22, 527-537.

Ladd, G. W., Kochenderfer, B. J., & Coleman, C. C. (1997). Classroom peer acceptance, friendship, and victimization:Distinct relation systems that contribute uniquely to children's school adjustment? Child Development,68, 1181-1197.

Li, Y., & Lerner, R. M. (2013). Interrelations of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive school engagement in high school students. Journal of Youth and Adolescence,42, 20-32.

Liew, J., Chen, Q., & Hughes, J. N. (2010). Child effortful control, teacher-student relationships, and achievement in academically at-risk children:Additive and interactive effects. Early Childhood Research Quarterly,25, 51-64.

Lindsey, E. W., Caldera, Y. M., & Tankersley, L. (2009). Marital conflict and the quality of young children's peer play behavior:The mediating and moderating role of parent-child emotional reciprocity and attachment security. Journal of Family Psychology,23, 130-145.

Morris, A. S., Silk, J. S., Steinberg, L., Myers, S. S., & Robinson, L. R. (2007). The role of the family context in the development of emotion regulation. Social Development,16, 361-388.

Oldehinkel, A. J., Hartman, C. A., Ferdinand, R. F., Verhulst, F. C., & Ormel, J. (2007). Effortful control as modifier of the association between negative emotionality and adolescents' mental health problems. Development and Psychopathology,19, 523-539.

Pietarinen, J., Soini, T., & Pyhältö, K. (2014). Students' emotional and cognitive engagement as the determinants of well-being and achievement in school. International Journal of Educational Research,67, 40-51.

Posner, M. I., & Rothbart, M. K. (2007). Temperament and learning. In M. I. Posner & M. K. Rothbart (Eds.), Educating the human brain (pp. 131-146). Washington, DC:American Psychological Association.

Reeve, J. (2013). How students create motivationally supportive learning environments for themselves:The concept of agentic engagement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105, 579-595.

Reeve, J., & Lee, W. (2014). Students' classroom engagement produces longitudinal changes in classroom motivation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 106, 527-540.

Reeve, J., & Tseng, M. (2011). Agency as a fourth aspect of student engagement during learning activities. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 36, 257-267.

Riggio, H. R. (2004). Parental marital conflict and divorce, parent-child relationships, social support, and relationship anxiety in young adulthood. Personal Relationships,11, 99-114.

Rothbart, M. K., Ahadi, S. A., & Evans, D. E. (2000). Temperament and personality:Origins and outcomes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 122-135.

Rothbart, M. K., Sheese, B. E., & Posner, M. I. (2007). Executive attention and effortful control:Linking temperament, brain networks, and genes. Child Development Perspectives,1, 2-7.

Schmeichel, B. J., Harmon-Jones, C., & Harmon-Jones, E. (2010). Exercising self-control increases approach motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,99, 162-173.

Shelton, K. H., & Harold, G. T. (2008). Pathways between interparental conflict and adolescent psychological adjustment:Bridging links through children's cognitive appraisals and coping strategies. The Journal of Early Adolescence,28, 555-582.

Silk, J. S., Steinberg, L., & Morris, A. S. (2003). Adolescents' emotion regulation in daily life:Links to depressive symptoms and problem behavior. Child Development, 74, 1869-1880.

Silva, K. M., Spinrad, T. L., Eisenberg, N., Sulik, M. J., Valiente, C., Huerta, S., et al. (2011). Relations of children's effortful control and teacher-child relationship quality to school attitudes in a low-income sample. Early Education & Development,22, 434-460.

Simons, R. L, Whitbeck, L. B., Melby, J. N., & Wu, C. (1994). Economic pressure and harsh parenting. In R. D. Conger & G. H. Elder, Jr. (Eds.), Families in troubled times:Adapting to change in rural America, 207-222. New York:Aldine.

Skinner, E. A., Kindermann, T. A., & Furrer, C. J. (2009). A motivational perspective on engagement and disaffection:Conceptualization and assessment of children's behavioral and emotional participation in academic activities in the classroom. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 69, 493-525.

Skinner, E. A., & Wellborn, J. G. (1997). Children's coping in the academic domain. In S. A. Wolchik, & I. N. Sandler (Eds.). Handbook of children's coping with common stressors:Linking theory and intervention (pp. 387-422). New York:Plenum Press.

Sturge-Apple, M. L., Davies, P. T., Winter, M. A., Cummings, E. M., & Schermerhorn, A. (2008). Interparental conflict and children's school adjustment:The explanatory role of children's internal representations of interparental and parent-child relationships. Developmental Psychology,44, 1678-1690.

Valiente, C., Lemery-Chalfant, K., & Swanson, J. (2010). Prediction of kindergartners' academic achievement from their effortful control and emotionality:Evidence for direct and moderated relations. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102, 550-560.

Valiente, C., Swanson, J., & Lemery-Chalfant, K. (2012). Kindergartners' temperament, classroom engagement, and student-teacher relationship:Moderation by effortful control. Social Development, 21, 558-576.

Walker, C. O., Greene, B. A., & Mansell, R. A. (2006). Identification with academics, intrinsic/extrinsic motivation, and self-efficacy as predictors of cognitive engagement. Learning and Individual Differences,16, 1-12.

Wang, M. T., & Eccles, J. S. (2012). Adolescent behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement trajectories in school and their differential relations to educational success. Journal of Research on Adolescence,22, 31-39.

Wang, M. T., & Holcombe, R. (2010). Adolescents' perceptions of school environment, engagement, and academic achievement in middle school. American Educational Research Journal,47, 633-662.

蔡笑岳, 朱雨洁. (2007). 中小学生创造性倾向, 智力及学业成绩的相关研究. 心理发展与教育, 2, 36-41.

陈晓惠, 石文典. (2016). 中小学生学业自我概念与学业成绩的交叉滞后分析:符合交互影响模型, 还是发展观? 心理发展与教育, 32, 81-88.

池丽萍. (2005). 认知评价在婚姻冲突与儿童问题行为之间的作用:中介还是缓冲. 心理发展与教育,21, 30-35.

蒋京川, 刘华山. (2005). 中学生成就目标定向与学习策略, 学业成绩的关系研究. 心理发展与教育, 2, 56-61.

雷浩, 徐瑰瑰, 邵朝友, 桑金琰. (2015). 教师关怀行为与学生学业成绩的关系:学习效能感的中介作用. 心理发展与教育, 31, 188-197.

李伟健, 丁菀, 孙炳海, 俞丽莉. (2015). 教师共情对学生学业成绩的促进:基于动画叙述模拟测量的多层线性分析. 心理发展与教育, 31, 719-727.

李文桃, 刘学兰, 喻承甫, 张彩霞, 叶佩珏. (2017). 学校氛围与初中生学业成就:学业情绪的中介和未来取向的调节作用. 心理发展与教育, 33, 198-205.

刘志军. (2007). 初中生乐观主义与其学业成绩的关系及中介效应分析. 心理发展与教育, 23, 73-78.

王明忠, 范翠英, 周宗奎, 陈武. (2014). 父母冲突影响青少年抑郁和社交焦虑——基于认知-情境理论和情绪安全感理论. 心理学报, 46, 90-100.

王明忠, 周宗奎, 范翠英, 陈武. (2013). 父母冲突对青少年社交焦虑的影响:序列中介效应分析. 心理发展与教育, 29, 166-173.

王伟, 雷雳, 王兴超. (2016). 大学生主动性人格对学业成绩的影响:学业自我效能感和学习适应的中介作用. 心理发展与教育, 32, 579-586.

吴艳, 温忠麟. (2011). 结构方程建模中的题目打包策略. 心理科学进展, 19, 1859-1867.

杨阿丽, 方晓义, 涂翠平, 李红菊. (2007). 父母冲突, 青少年的认知评价及其与青少年社会适应的关系. 心理与行为研究, 5, 127-134.

杨继平, 王兴超. (2011). 父母冲突与初中生攻击行为:道德推脱的中介作用. 心理发展与教育, 27, 498-505.

张静, 田录梅, 张文新. (2013). 同伴拒绝与早期青少年学业成绩的关系:同伴接纳, 友谊支持的调节作用. 心理发展与教育, 4, 353-360.

周浩, 龙立荣. (2004). 共同方法偏差的统计检验与控制方法. 心理科学进展, 12, 942-950.
[1] WANG Yanhui, SHEN Zifeng, LAI Xuefen. The Relation between Parental Psychological Control and Adolescent Externalizing Problem Behavior: The Chain Mediating Role of Effortful Control and Deviant Peer Affiliation [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2024, 40(2): 248-256.
[2] ZHAO Jingwei, CHEN Xiaoxu, REN Liwen, GENG Zhe, XU Fuzhen. Parental Psychological Control and Children’s Anxiety: A Moderated Mediating Model [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2024, 40(1): 93-102.
[3] LI Tiantian, DONG Huiqin. Children's Perception of Interparental Conflict and Anxiety: The Mediating Effect of Attention to Positive and Negative Information and the Moderating Effect of Gender [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2023, 39(4): 488-496.
[4] LI Tengfei, MA Yuxin, SONG Ruijun, CHEN Liang. Longitudinal Associations between Physical Victimization, Relational Victimization, and Academic Achievement during Early Adolescence: A Cross-lagged Panel Study [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2023, 39(4): 559-567.
[5] XIN Guogang, ZHANG Libin, CHANG Ruisheng, ZHANG Yunyun. Bullying Victimization Trajectories in Early Adolescence: The Predictive Role of Depression, Self-esteem and Academic Achievement [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2023, 39(4): 568-579.
[6] LI Cirong, YANG Yanyu, LI Chunxuan. Interparental Conflict, Adolescents' Daily Self-efficacy and Daily Learning Engagement: The Mediating Roles of Daily Negative Emotion and Daily Rumination in the Moderating Effects of Interparental Conflict Influence [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2023, 39(2): 236-246.
[7] WEI Hua, DING Huimin, HUANG Feng, HE Anming. The Relationship between Need for Uniqueness and College Students’ Mobile Phone Addiction: The Chain Mediating Role of Anxiety and Effortful Control [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2023, 39(2): 295-304.
[8] XIE Yuntian, SHI Zifu, YIN Lin, LAN Luo. A Meta-analysis of the Relationships between Chinese Parenting Styles and Children’s Academic Achievement [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(3): 366-379.
[9] WANG Guoxia, ZHAO Yang. A Meta-analysis about Teacher Autonomy-support and Student Academic Achievement: The Mediation of Psychological Need Satisfaction, Motivation and Engagement [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(3): 380-390.
[10] ZHANG Heyi, HONG Xiumin. Family Cognitive Environment and Development in 0~3 Year Olds: A Moderated Mediation Model [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2022, 38(2): 178-185.
[11] REN Ping, SONG Zijing, MENG Xiaozhe, QIN Xingna, ZHANG Yunyun. The Relationship between Academic Achievement, Popularity and Aggressive Behavior of Adolescents: A Cross-lagged Analysis [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2021, 37(5): 710-718.
[12] CHENG Cuiping, HUANG Xiting. The Influence of Individually-oriented Courage on Middle School Students' Academic Achievement: The Mediating Roles of Problem-solving and Help-seeking Coping Styles [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2021, 37(1): 60-67.
[13] PENG Zifang, FU Na, ZHANG Xinjie. The Relationship between Interparental Conflict and Middle School Students' Coping Style: The Chain Mediating Effect of Parental Rearing Style and Emotional Security [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2020, 36(6): 668-676.
[14] ZHANG Yali, LI Sen, YU Guoliang. The Association between Boredom Proneness and College Students' Cognitive Failures: The Moderating and Mediating Role of Effortful Control [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2020, 36(4): 430-439.
[15] ZHANG Yunyun, LIU Sichen, REN Ping, NIU Lili. How Adolescents' Academic and Behavioral Characteristics Influence teacher support: Evidence from Individuals and Peer Groups [J]. Psychological Development and Education, 2020, 36(3): 318-328.
Viewed
Full text


Abstract

Cited
  Shared   
  Discussed   
No Suggested Reading articles found!
Copyright 2018 © Editorial office of Psychological Development and Education
Supported by Beijing Magtech Co.Ltd