Effect of Marital Conflict on Adolescent Anxiety: The Mediating Role of Parentification

Abstract

Objective The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between marital conflict, parentification, and adolescent anxiety. Methods The participants comprised 301 high school students from the Seoul province. They were asked to complete questionnaires that consisted of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Children’s Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale, and the Filial Responsibility Scale-Youth. The data were analyzed by frequency analysis, Cronbach’s α, descriptive statistical analysis, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, multiple regression analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. To analyze the collected data, SPSS 18.0 was used. Results First, the content and resolution of marital conflict had an effect on both adolescent state anxiety and trait anxiety. Second, unfairness parentification had an effect on both adolescent state anxiety and trait anxiety. Third, the frequency of marital conflict had an effect on emotional parentification. Further, the intensity, content, and resolution of marital conflict had effect on unfairness parentification. Fourth, unfairness parentification played a partial mediating role in the relationship between the content of marital conflict and adolescent anxiety (state anxiety/trait anxiety). In addition, unfairness parentification played a complete mediating role in the relationship between the resolution of marital conflict and adolescent trait anxiety. Conclusion These results indicate that parentification plays an important role in marital conflict and adolescent anxiety. In addition, this study also shows that marital conflict has an important effect on adolescent anxiety directly. Therefore, this study will be useful for developing both parental education and counseling programs for adolescents. Keywords: marital conflict, adolescent anxiety, parentification