The Impact of Marital Quality and Parent-Child Relationships on Peer Relationships at School: A Brazilian Study

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the impact that marital quality and parent-child relationships have on peer relationships at school in a Brazilian population. Despite the fact that Brazil is the fifth most populated country in the world, it is very underrepresented in the literature and little information is known about how marital quality and the parent-child bond impact children socially. Sixty-five mothers and their children participated in this study. Marital quality was assessed using the Portuguese version of the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale. The parent-child relationship was assessed using the Parental Bonding Instrument and peer relationships at school were assessed using both parent and child versions of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to measure the strength of the relationships and to control for different variables such as income, maternal age, mother’s education level, and mother’s relationship status. The findings suggest significant associations between marital quality and children’s peer relationships at school and between the parent-child relationship and children’s peer relationships at school. Findings also indicated that income and maternal age significantly influence children’s peer relationships. Future studies could focus on how the father-child relationship or factors such as parents’ mental health impacts children’s peer relationships. Advisor: Paul R. Springe