Gender Differences in the Relationships between Parental Marital Conflict, Differentiation from the Family of Origin, and Children’s Marital Stability

Abstract

This study aimed to examine gender differences in the relationships between parental marital conflict, differentiation from the family of origin, and children’s martial stability. Data were collected from 453 married individuals in South Korea. The results revealed that parental marital conflict was directly related to children’s marital stability albeit only among married men. Emotional cutoff and family projection mediated the relationship between parental marital conflict and children’s marital stability among men and women, respectively. These findings can be used to develop gender-specific evidence-based interventions that enhance marital stability (e.g., programs for married and premarital couples).

Keywords:

• Parental marital conflict
• differentiation from the family of origin
• marital stability
• gender differences

Disclosure statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.