The Roles of Inter-Parental Conflict and Companionship in Children’s Social Development

Betreuerin: Dr. Annekatrin Steinhoff, steinhoff@jacobscenter.uzh.ch

Zugehörige Masterarbeitsgruppe: Masterarbeitsgruppe Prof. Dr. Lilly Shanahan

Status: vergeben

Research has shown that the experience of inter-parental conflict can affect different aspects of children’s cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development. This project extends previous research by taking a longitudinal perspective on the effects of inter-parental relationship quality on children’s social development, focusing on the joint impact of inter-parental conflict and companionship. Of particular interest is whether, and how, inter-parental relationship quality affects those aspects of the child’s development that are relevant for his/her likelihood to form supportive social bonds outside the family home (e.g., aggression, prosocial behavior).

The project will be based on secondary data analyses. The data will be taken from the COCON study. COCON is a multi-informant study representative for children and adolescents growing up in the German- and French-speaking parts of Switzerland. The project will use data for the COCON child cohort (N = 1,273). These children were surveyed regularly since 2006, when they were 6 years old. Information on inter-parental relationship quality was provided by the primary caregiver. Assessments of various components of children’s social development are available from the primary caregiver’s, the main teacher’s and the child’s own perspectives.