Thesis
Power associations between interparental, parent-child and child-peer relationships
Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
2008
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/100999
Abstract
Structural and process dimensions of power dynamics in interparental, parent-child, and child-peer relationships were measured to test whether power dynamics in family relationships are associated with power dynamics in children's relationships with their peers. Mothers from participating families were recruited through their children's enrolment in early childhood education programs in Pullman, WA, and were predominantly white, middle class, married, and educated with at least a GED or high school diploma (N = 42). Mother reports on the Conflict Tactic Scale and Final Say questionnaires were compared with self-reports of parental power assertion and with observed frequencies of children's prosocial and coercive behaviors and dominance ranks in semi-structured playgroup activities. Findings suggest that the use of negotiation conflict tactics in interparental relationships is associated with parental physical control and with less child-peer coercion, a link that is not mediated through the parent-child relationship. Parenting behaviors were not found to be significantly associated either with power structure in interparental relationships or with children's social outcomes, suggesting that expectations of associations in power dynamics between asymmetrical parent-child relationships and horizontal child-peer relationships may not be reasonable. Findings are discussed in terms of their potential implications for therapy, family programs, social policy, and future research on children's development of social competence and dominance among peers.
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Details
- Title
- Power associations between interparental, parent-child and child-peer relationships
- Creators
- Teresa Danielle Schmidt
- Contributors
- Jared A. Lisonbee (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Human Development, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
- Identifiers
- 99900525005001842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis