Triangulation and age as predictors of children's perception of the destructive effects of parental conflict on the family system

Abstract

The child's confidence in the family system contributes to the development of emotional security, which in turn has a positive effect on the child's development. Parental conflicts can have a negative impact on the child's perception of the family system and can lead to the development of emotional insecurity. Triangulation, or the involvement of the child in parental conflict, is an additional risk factor for the development of the child's destructive perceptions of the family. Our study focused on the links between triangulation and the child's perception of parental conflict as destructive for the family system, as well as on the moderating role of the child's age. The sample consisted of 146 children, with an average age of thirteen. The respondents were asked to complete the following questionnaires: The child's perception of parental conflict and Security within the parental subsystem. The findings of moderation analysis show that triangulation is a significant individual predictor of destructive perceptions of the family (β=-.068, p<.01), and that age is a significant moderator of the effects of triangulation on destructive perceptions of the family (β=.167, p<.05). Young adolescents are more likely than children in middle adolescence to perceive that parental conflict is destructive to the family system if they play the role of passive observer. Age differences can be explained by the cognitive immaturity of younger children and their inability to foresee the consequences of conflict and the reasons for its occurrence. The findings highlight the importance of age-appropriate parental actions in situations of marital conflict.