Negative relations with parents. Several theories exist that postulate how the
quality of the parent-child relationship puts children at risk for adverse outcomes, such as
behavior problems, substance use, and poor quality romantic relationships (Klahr et. al.,
2010; Overbeek et. al., 2007). An abundance of studies have focused on the link between
parent-child relationships and externalizing problems in youth, however less research has
looked at how poor parent-child relationship quality is linked to internalizing problems.
Even fewer studies have explored the relationship between parent-child relationships
(beyond parent support) and children’s wellness; emerging findings indicate a negative
relationship between parent-child conflict and life satisfaction (Ben-Xur, 2003; Rask et
al., 2003; Shek, 1998).