Perceptions of Constructive and Destructive Conflict within and Across Family Subsystems

Abstract

Family members' (mothers, fathers, siblings) perceptions of the frequency and types of constructive and destructive conflict strategies used within and across the three family subsystems (marital, parent-child, sibling) were investigated. Participants included 60 fifth- and sixth-grade, middle-class white children, their closest-in-age sibling, and both parents. Each family member rated their perceptions of conflict resolution strategies employed in marital, parent-child, and sibling relationships. Overall, family members demonstrated agreement on the frequency and types of conflict within the three family subsystems and generally reported employing similar conflict tactics across different subsystems. Additionally, parent-child conflict strategies were partially linked to both constructive and destructive sibling and marital conflict. These results are best understood in light of both the shared family perspective view and the spillover hypothesis of family dynamics (Margolin et al., 1996; Minuchin, 1988). Implications for examining conflict strategies within and across subsystems are discussed within the context of recent theory on family functioning. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.