Generational Drama: The Legacy of Parental Conflict on Attachment Style and Conflict Management Skills in Adult Children of Divorce

Abstract

Divorce has been a longstanding topic of research, specifically focusing on the children affected. A modest portion of this research has focused more on these children as they age and enter their own relationships, usually finding maladjustment in their development and attachment (Amato, 2001; Amato, 2010; Amato & Anthony, 2014; Kelly & Emery, 2003). However, the conflict styles of adult children of divorce have been largely unexplored. The current study addressed this disparity by comparing the conflict management skills of adult children of divorce (ACD) and adult children of intact families (non-ACD) to better understand how parental conflict could impact conflict management skills in interpersonal relationships. Results indicated that, while ACD did report greater parental conflict, triangulation in parental conflict was the most detrimental factor in both ACD and non-ACD. Additionally, ACD reported greater anxiety, ambivalence, and negative and active conflict styles. Hierarchical regressions found that ACD who were older at the time of divorce and who experienced higher parental triangulation engaged in more negative active conflict. Future studies and therapeutic interventions should consider the role of triangulation in guiding the adoption of healthier familial interactions and generational cycles of conflict.