Examining Parent-Child Conflict: A Structural Model for High School Students in Isfahan

Objective: The primary objective of the present study was to formulate and empirically assess a model delineating the antecedents and consequences of conflict between parents and children. Methods: The methodological framework employed was a multivariate correlational approach utilizing structural equation modeling techniques. The population of interest comprised all high school students residing in Isfahan, Iran. From this demographic, a sample of 320 students was extracted through a multi-stage cluster sampling methodology. The instruments employed in the research encompassed the Parent-Child Conflict Questionnaire, the Parental Conflict Scale, the Electronic Media Use Questionnaire, the Emotional Security Scale, the Children's Depression Inventory, the Internalizing Problems Questionnaire, and the Aggression Questionnaire. The proposed model underwent evaluation via structural equation modeling, leveraging the capabilities of SPSS and AMOS version 23 software. Results: The findings revealed a direct influence of parental conflict and electronic media utilization on parent-child conflict, as well as a direct correlation of parent-child conflict with emotional security, depressive symptoms, internalizing issues, and aggression; furthermore, emotional security was found to have a direct impact on depressive symptoms, internalizing issues, and aggression. Additionally, the results indicated that parent-child conflict exerts an indirect influence on depressive symptoms, internalizing issues, and aggression through the mediating role of emotional security. Conclusions: Consequently, the enhancement of parental relationships coupled with the regulation of adolescents' electronic media consumption has the potential to mitigate parent-child conflict; in turn, such a reduction in parent-child conflict may lead to a decrease in depressive symptoms, internalizing issues, and aggression among adolescents.