The Effects of Marital Conflict on Children`s Depression: The Mediating Role of Parental Control
A Ram Cho , Mi Kyung Choi
Abstract
The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between marital conflict, parental control and children`s depression. The participants were composed of 243 elementary school 5th and 6th graders (of which 121 were boys and 122 were girls) from Gyeonggi-do province. They completed questionnaires on marital conflict, parental control and children`s depression. The data were analyzed by means of Pearson`s correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis. It was observed that marital conflict (content) had an effect on children`s depression. Parental psychological control was also found to have an effect on children`s depression. However, parental behavioral control did not appear to have an effect on children`s depression. In addition marital conflict (frequency/content) had an effect on parental psychological control. Additionally, marital conflict (resolution) had an effect on parental behavioral control. It was further found that paternal psychological control and maternal psychological control partially mediated the relationship between marital conflict and children`s depression. These results clearly indicate that parental psychological control plays an important role in marital conflict and children`s depression.