CHILDREN'S ANXIETY AND THEIR PERCEPTION OF PARENTAL CONFLICT

Children's perception of parental conflict can affect student's achievement in school. One hundred eleven fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade children (9-12 years old) attending private school participated in this study. Parents and children voluntary participated. All children received parental consent to participate in our research. These elementary urban pupils belong to a medium socio-economic level. Children answered six items about parental conflict intensity and six items on perceived threat from the Children's Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale (CPIC). They also answered 18 selected items from the Escala de Ansiedad Manifiesta en ninos in order to assess general anxiety, poor concentration, fatigue, failure fear. Analysis of the data results in a significant correlation (significance level at 0.01) between anxiety and parental conflict intensity (r = .50) as well as a significant correlation between anxiety and perceived threat (r = .54). Based on this data a school program, involving parents, will be implemented to help children to review and analyse their perceptions and beliefs concerning parental conflict. Anxiety related cognitions also will be the focus of this program