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Effects of parental infidelity and interparental conflict on relational ethics between adult children and parents: a contextual perspective
Author(s) -
Schmidt Alexandra E.,
Green Mary S.,
Prouty Anne M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1467-6427
pISSN - 0163-4445
DOI - 10.1111/1467-6427.12091
Subject(s) - psychology , loyalty , perspective (graphical) , context (archaeology) , entitlement (fair division) , social psychology , transgenerational epigenetics , family therapy , developmental psychology , psychotherapist , pregnancy , paleontology , genetics , mathematics , mathematical economics , artificial intelligence , political science , computer science , offspring , law , biology
Little research within the couple and family therapy field has specifically addressed the influence of infidelity on members of the family outside the couple sub‐system. The purpose of this exploratory quantitative study was to utilize the lens of contextual therapy to explore the influence of parental infidelity and interparental conflict on adult children's ( N = 703) reports of vertical relational ethics, including subscales measuring trust and justice, loyalty, and entitlement. Results from multiple regression analyses demonstrated that both higher levels of interparental conflict and the occurrence of parental infidelity were associated with lower levels of vertical relational ethics, which often takes the form of decreased trust in family members and increased potential for loyalty conflicts. Implications for addressing relational dynamics related to parental infidelity through systemic family therapy, as well as recommendations for future research, are discussed. Practitioner points Therapeutic assessment should include questions about influence of transgenerational patterns of infidelity and conflict between partners on parenting experiences. Acknowledge young and adult children who feel caught in a split loyalty between parents and how they cope with these loyalty conflicts. Engage clients in dialogue concerning how to restore the balance of offering and receiving care, support, and connection within family's unique cultural context.