A recent study by relationship charity OnePlusOne has found that witnessing parental conflict can have a profoundly negative effect on the mental health of children, and leave them with behavioural, social or emotional issues.
The study set out to examine why some children are more negatively affected by inter-parental conflict than others, what can be done to improve psychological outcomes in the short and long-term, and how early identification and management of negative behaviour patterns in families can prevent escalations and alleviate psychological distress and later psychological damage to children.
The researchers hope their findings will be of help to professionals working with children and families where inter-parental conflict is a common feature of family life.
“Today’s children are tomorrow’s parents. The psychological fall-out from unhappy homes can lead to negative behaviour repeating itself down the generations,” said Professor Gordon Harold from the University of Sussex, who co-authored the book containing the research.
“Effective intervention can help to break that cycle.”
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