Parent–Child Recurring Conflict: A Mediator between Parental Anger Management and Adolescent Behavior

Guided by social learning theory, this longitudinal study examined whether parent–child recurring conflict mediated the association between parental anger management, an understudied antecedent to parent–child recurring conflict, and adolescent deviant and problem-solving behaviors in 415 rural families. Parental use of anger management in 6^th grade was associated with less parent–child recurring conflict in 9^th grade, which was associated with more adolescent problem-solving behavior in 11^th grade. Family practitioners seeking to promote adolescent problem-solving behaviors may consider teaching families strategies for reducing parent–child recurring conflict and fostering parental anger management.