Marital Satisfaction and Consensus: Links to the Development of Behavioral Social Functioning in Early Adolescence L. Wrenn Thompson Jessica Meyer Joseph P. Allen, Ph.D. University of Virginia Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the National Institute of Mental Health for funding awarded to Joseph P. Allen, Principal Investigator, (Grants #R01-MH44934, and R01-MH58066) to conduct and write-up this project.

Abstract When mothers disagree more and are less happy with their partners, their adolescents tend to be more delinquent and aggressive than adolescents of mothers in happier relationships. Prior research in this area is based on the mother’s report of her adolescent and adolescent self report and fails to examine relationships over time. Thus, the current study will examine the link between mother-partner satisfaction and consensus and adolescent’s social development over a one-year period using a multi-reporter and longitudinal design. Results show that when mothers agree more and are more satisfied in their relationships, adolescents become less aggressive and delinquent, as self reported and reported by their best friends.

Introduction Research has shown that marital discord can affect adolescent social development, specifically externalizing behaviors. Research has neglected the consideration of marital harmony’s effects on adolescent development and how different reporters outside the family can add to what is known about adolescent social development. The current study will examine the link between mother-partner satisfaction and consensus and adolescent’s social development over a one-year period using a multi-reporter and longitudinal design.

Hypotheses Mothers who are more satisfied with their partners and report greater consensus in resolving conflicts with their partners will have adolescents who become less externalizing (delinquent and aggressive) over time, as reported by the adolescents and their close friends.

Method Data were collected as part of a multi-method, multi reporter longitudinal study of a socio-economically diverse sample of adolescents (N=174). Age Wave 1 M = SD =. 66 Wave 2 M = SD =.78 Ethnicity (self-identified, Wave 1) Caucasian 105 Minority or Mixed Ethnicity49 Other/Unspecified 20 Income (parent reported, Wave 1) M= $40,000 - $59,9999

Measures DAS - marital and dyadic adjustment as an indicator of marital quality. Consensus (How often do you and your partner disagree about…) Aims, goals, and things believed to be important Household tasks Satisfaction How often do you or your mate leave the house after a fight? Do you ever regret that you married (or lived together)?

Measures (continued) CBCL/YSR – Target Adol. and Close Peer report about Target Adol. Behaviors Delinquency destroys things belonging to family or others lies or cheats Aggression demands a lot of attention feels others are out to get him/her

Results Tables 1& 2 provide the means and standard deviations for all variables in this study and simple correlations between independent and dependent variables. Hypothesis 1: Mothers who are more satisfied in their relationships with partners have adolescents who become less externalizing as reported by the adolescent and his or her close peer (β =- -.03*, see table 3). Hypothesis 2: Mothers who reach a consensus more often with their partners have adolescents who become less externalizing as reported by the adolescent and his or her close peer (β = -.02**, see table 4).

Discussion and Conclusions Overall, mothers who were happier in their personal relationships had adolescents who, as reported by the adolescent and his or her close peer, decreased in externalizing behaviors over time. Consensus and Externalizing Behavior Adolescents who grow up in households where parents are able to solve disagreements may be better prepared to do so with peers. Being able to do this may decrease the chance that he or she will result to violent or negative social behaviors to solve disagreements or get his/her own way. Satisfaction and Externalizing Behavior When mothers are happier in their relationship with their partners, they may have a warmer, more related relationship with their adolescents. As a result, the adolescent may feel less of a need to seek maternal attention by participating in delinquent behaviors and may be more satisfied with their peer relationships as well.

Limitations and Future Directions While this study assessed the report of the adolescent’s close peer, it did not analyze the reports of other non-friend peers. Perhaps other peers may have a different and potentially more negative view of the adolescent. Confounding variables may be part of the relationship found here. Maturity of the adolescent and other aspects of the Mother-Adolescent relationship may be coming into play. Future research should look at observed interactions between the adolescent and peers (as well as the mother) to get a broader view of how the adolescent behaves with others.

Table 1. Means and Standard Deviations VariableMeanSDDescription Consensus48.6 Range = higher scores = less consensus Satisfaction36.8 Range= higher scores = more satisfaction YSR Range= Higher scores=more externalizing CBCL Range= Higher scores=more externalizing YSR CBCL

Table 2. Intercorrelation Matrix of Variables (age, gender, and income have been partialed) Externalizing2ConsensusSatisfactionExternalizing1 Externalizing21.00 Consensus Satisfaction Externalizing N ranges from Externalizing = (CBCL + YSR)/2

Table 3. Regressions predicting teens’ and friends’ report of target teens’ externalizing behaviors at age 14 from maternal report of marital consensus, covarying teens’ and friends’ report of teens’ externalizing behavior at age 13. β entryβ finalΔR2Total R2 Step 1. Teen and friend report of teen externalizing behaviors at age 13.35***.34***.12*** Gender Age.16*.09 Income Stats. From step.02.14*** Satisfaction-.03* Stats. from step.01*.15** β weights are from variable’s entry into model. N=115

Table 4. Regressions predicting teens’ and friends’ report of target teens’ externalizing behaviors at age 14 from maternal report of marital satisfaction, covarying teens’ and friends’ report of teens’ externalizing behaviors at age 13. β entryβ finalΔR2Total R2 Step 1. Teen and friend report of teen externalizing behaviors at age 13.35***.31**.12*** Gender Age.16*.09 Income Stats. From step.02.14*** Consensus-.02** Stats. from step.02**.16*** β weights are from variable’s entry into model. N=136

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