1. CHILDREN’S ANXIETY AND THEIR PERCEPTION OF PARENTAL CONFLICT A.F. Díaz-Cárdenas, G. Flores, A. Díaz-Furlong, M.R. Sankey- García Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (MEXICO) diazcard@yahoo.com, gonzalo.flores@correo.buap.mx, adiazfurlong@yahoo.com, ryathome@hotmail.com

2. Interparental conflict occurs to some extent in all marriages; however children experience it differently depending on children cognitive appraisals of the conflict. Different types of cognitions are involved in appraisal parental conflict. Some of these can be related to consequences on children adjustment and mental health. Children’s perception of interparental conflict can contribute to a pessimistic view of life or to an increased vulnerability and uncertainty for the future. Children’s anxiety can be activated by their perception of interparental problems. Factors such as conflict intensity and perceived threat can be related to children well- being.

3. One hundred eleven fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade children (9-12 years old) attending private school in Puebla city (Mexico), participated in this study. Parents and children voluntarily participated. All children received parental consent to participate in our research. These elementary urban pupils belong to a medium socio-economic level. Data Analysis To perform the reliability analysis and compute the Pearson correlation coefficient we use both IBM SPSS and GNU PSPP, obtaining quite similar results.

4. Children answered six items about parental conflict intensity and six items on perceived threat from our Spanish-language version of the Children’s Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale. The internal reliability of the CPIC subscales was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha. Both subscales exhibited an acceptable level of internal consistency (alpha = 0.76 and alpha = 0.69 respectively). They also answered 18 selected items from the Escala de Ansiedad Manifiesta en Niños in order to assess general anxiety, poor concentration, fatigue, failure fear [3].After reading each statement children selected the word yes if they thought the assertion is sort of true about them. On the contrary they chose the word no. This combined scale attained a suitable level of internal consistency (alpha = 0.83).

5. RESULTS We found a significant correlation between intensity subscale of the CPIC and general anxiety (r =.50; p < 0.01). On the other hand we also found a significant correlation between perceived threat subscale of the CPIC and general anxiety (r =.54; p < 0.01). There were also a significant correlation between the two considered subscales of the CPIC (r = 0.30; p < 0.05).

6. CONCLUSIONS Elementary school children (9-12 years old) can be affected by their perception of interparental conflict. In particular we found an important relation between anxiety and children's perception of parental conflict intensity, as well as, an increased perceived threat derived from interparental conflict. Our results substantiate the mediating role of children´s perceptions, interpretations and beliefs about family conflicts. Children’s anxiety signals and their development can be associated to those cognitions. Perception of threat promotes children´s anxious concerns. Likewise, children’s rating of the degree to which they perceive parental conflict intensity was significantly associated with their anxiogenic beliefs. Notwithstanding it is not ruled out that children´s anxiety increases interparental conflict intensity perception and the perceived threat associated to it.

7. It is important to analyse children's perceptions and cognitions that could promote beliefs about self-vulnerability and external threats. Children and their parents need to know how negative beliefs promote cognitive distortions related to anxiety. Particularly, children require being oriented about the actual possibility that something unpleasant or violent could happen. Children’s vulnerability beliefs are greatly associated to general anxiety, poor concentration, fatigue, and failure fear. Parental conflict seems to be inevitable and children must learn to analise their thoughts about conflict intensity and possible threats for their families. Children also need to be critical with respect to their cognitive distortions. Vulnerability constitutes an important issue to work about anywhere interparental conflict is constant.