"Direct and Indirect Relations Between Family Conflict and Youth's Later Behavioral" outcomes

​Professor Gustavo Carlo (pictured right) is co-author of an article in Review of Social Development examining the associations between family conflict during toddlerhood and children's prosocial and aggressive behaviors approximately nine years later.

The title of the article is “Direct and indirect relations between family conflict and youth's later behavioral outcomes.”
 
Co-authors are Cara Streit (lead author, University of New Mexico), Jean Ispa (University of Missouri), and Francisco Palermo (University of Missouri).
 
Carlo’s primary research interest focuses on understanding positive social development and health in culturally diverse children and adolescents. Many of his projects focus on U.S. ethnic/racial groups, including Latino/a youth and families. He has published more than 200 books, chapters, and research papers. He currently serves as a member of the Society for Research in Child Development Governing Council, as associate editor of the International Journal of Behavioral Development, and as co-editor of the upcoming APA Handbook of Adolescent Development.

​Abstract
 
The present study examined the associations between family conflict during toddlerhood and children's prosocial and aggressive behaviors approximately 9 years later, as well as whether maternal supportiveness and children's self‐regulation mediate those associations. Family conflict has been identified as a risk factor for children's well‐being and behavioral problems. However, these studies often are confined to conflict during childhood, and few studies have considered the long‐term effects of conflict in toddlerhood on outcomes in late childhood. Participants were 2,215 mothers and their children (49.3% female) from the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project. Families were followed from 15 months to fifth grade. Findings demonstrated direct effects of family conflict on children's aggressive behaviors and indirect effects (via maternal supportiveness) of family conflict on youth's prosocial behaviors. The present study highlights the possible long term, deleterious effects of family conflict on parenting, children's self‐regulatory skills, and social behaviors.