ABSTRACT
The chapter by Cummings, Goeke-Morey, and Papp (chap. 9, this volume) reflects a program of research that can serve as a model in the social and behavioral sciences for careful, systematic research on an important developmental issue. For almost 20 years, Dr. Cummings and several different collaborators have sought to determine the degree to which various dimensions of conflict between caregivers affect the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive adjustment of children. Especially compelling, they have relied on a variety of research strategies, ranging from laboratory experiments to in-person interviews, to evaluate how children respond to conflict and the processes through which their responses might be generated. Also important, they have employed several different measurement techniques, including the actual observation of behavioral responses, to assess the theoretical constructs of interest. Their investigations have demonstrated the significance of caregiver conflict in children’s lives, and have prompted increasing theoretical and empirical activity related to this important domain of family research.
