ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights the significant role that the couple relationship plays in promoting positive or negative developmental outcomes for children. Historically, the primary focus of intervention within families has been on promoting positive parenting practices in alleviating disrupted family relationship influences on children. Family relationship breakdown is recognised as a risk factor for negative psychological outcomes among children of all ages. Parenting has also been identified as an important mediator underlying links between the interparental relationship and child psychological outcomes, particularly in terms of child antisocial behaviour. Multiple family influences have been identified in past research as serving as risk factors for children's negative psychological development. Children raised in households exposed to acute or chronic economic strain, heightened levels of parental psychopathology, negative parent-child relations, and parental separation, divorce, and remarriage have been shown to experience a variety of negative psychological outcomes, including increased anxiety, depression, hostility and criminality.
