ABSTRACT

The dynamic system of contexts and relationships that affect the quality of family life and adjustment of family members defies casual study. Certain contexts impact how well family members function, and their performance in turn affects the family context. An example of this is the shared influence of the family’s emotional ambiance and the quality of parenting that children receive, so that effective parenting increases good feelings and good feelings make it easier to parent competently (Dix, 1991). The family’s emotional context also changes and is changed by children’s contributions. In positive atmospheres, children tend to cooperate with parenting (Parpel & Maccoby, 1985). In negative emotional contexts, ineffective parenting is more probable and increases the likelihood that children will develop adjustment problems, which in turn increases the negative emotional environment and the difficulty of parenting (Forgatch, Patterson, & Ray, 1996; Patterson & Forgatch, 1995; Patterson, Reid, & Dishion, 1992).