Considerable research supports the notion that destructive conflicts that are hostile, frequent, and poorly managed pose a greater risk for disruptions to adolescent development (e.g., Buehler et al., 1997; Cummings & Cummings, 1988; Goeke-Morey, Cummings, Harold, & Shelton, 2003). Alternatively, perception of interparental warmth, support, cooperation, and problem solving may benefit adolescents (Cummings & Davies, 1994). Studies investigating the implications of both positivity and conflict in parental relationships for adolescent outcomes are generally lacking, however. As Davies and colleagues (2012) pointed out, including both dimensions of interparental functioning can provide insight into the unique implications of each dimension for adolescent parental conflict evaluations (McCoy, Cummings, & Davies, 2009). No research has been published, however, that examines exposure to specific aspects of interparental warmth and support on children’s perceptions of interparental conflict.
