Relationship qualities as moderators of the associations between adolescent conflict and adjustment

Conflict during adolescence has shown to have the potential for both beneficent consequences and adverse consequences. The present study addresses this paradox and attempts to understand it by examining relationship qualities as potential moderating influences. To examine these moderated associations between conflict rates and outcome measures in mother-child, father-child, and friend relationships, 469 students completed the Interpersonal Conflict Questionnaire, Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale II, Intimate Friendship Scale, Network of Relationships Inventory, and Youth Self-Report. Regression analyses found that the level of negativity in the relationship moderated the associations between conflict rate and outcome measures such as grade point average, withdrawn behaviors, and delinquent behaviors.