Abstract

Parent-child communication is essential in middle childhood as changes in self-disclosure, shared experiences, and autonomy take place. Investigating communication is crucial in understanding adaptive development, particularly in high-risk families where the likelihood of negative outcomes is high. The present study was designed to examine the contribution of maternal childhood histories of aggression and/or social withdrawal to the prediction of mother-child communication and to children's relationships (quality of parent-child relationship, peer likeability and social competence). In addition, the association between parent-child communication and marital communication was investigated. Mothers with childhood histories of aggression and/or social withdrawal from the Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project, a longitudinal, intergenerational study, participated with their 9-13 year-old children. Dyads (n=63) discussed conflicts rated as problematic in their relationship. Communication quality was coded using the Communication Coding Scheme (CCS). Results partially supported the hypotheses that maternal childhood histories of risk contribute to the prediction of mother-child communication quality. Furthermore, results suggested that mother-child communication was related to relationship factors including emotional availability, likeability, and social skills associated with the development of adaptive relationships in middle childhood. Finally, marital communication was positively associated with mother-child communication. The present findings contribute to the current literature, highlighting the importance of examining parent-child communication and relationship factors in high-risk families and their impact on children's relationships and development.