Effects of Parent Child Relationship on Problematic Behavi – ors of School Children and School Adjustment of Military and Civilian Families

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the mediating effects of the relationship on the problem behaviors and school adjustment of children. Data were collected from two groups of school children from fourth to sixth grades, namely, military family group (n = 193) and civilian family group (n = 201). The model was tested with analysis of correlation matrix using AMOS 18.0. The results indicated that children in the military family group were more likely to perceive affective relationships from both parents and were less likely to display internalized and externalized problem behaviors compared with children in the civilian family group. Second, the children in the military family group had affective and controlling relationships with mothers and controlling relationships with fathers, which directly influence internalized problem behaviors. On the contrary, in the civilian family group, the affective relationships of children with both parents directly influenced internalized problem behaviors. Finally, the main finding supported the mediating effects of internalized and externalized problem behaviors on the association between the parent–child relationship to the school adjustment of children of military and civilian families.