Marital Problems Affect Parent-Child Bond

Constant fights between couples can harm their bond with their children. A new study shows that fathers' relationships with their progeny suffers more.

Researchers at the Southern Methodist University, Dallas, said that mothers were able to compartmentalize the marital spats by the next day , but it was not the same with the fathers. Researchers found that fathers allowed their negative feelings to seep through and damage the bond with their children. "The findings drive home the conclusion that the quality of a marriage is closely tied to each parent's bond with their child," psychologist Chrystyna D. Kouros from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, said in a press release.

The researchers arrived at the conclusion by examining 203 families where members were told to complete daily diary entries for 15 days.

Mothers and fathers rated the quality of their marriage and their relationship with their children at the end of each day.

The study reported that that when parents admitted to marital tension and conflict, simultaneously that day's communications with their children were affected with tension and conflict.

"In families where the mom was showing signs of depression, dads on the other hand let the marital tension spill over, with the result being poorer interactions with their child, even on the next day," Kouros noted.

The team also found that poor marital quality hinted an improvement in the relationship between the mom and the child. "So, the first day's adverse spillover is short lived for moms," Kouros said adding that marriage is a "hub relationship" for the family.

The research was published in the Journal of Family Psychology.