If you and your partner have contentious arguments, it’s natural to worry about how the dynamic might affect your kids. Child therapists can attest that ongoing parental conflict can impact developing minds. Thankfully, you can mitigate both short- and long-term issues by keeping the arguing to a minimum and providing your children with adequate counseling.

3 Ways Parental Conflict Can Affect Children 

1. Parental Alienation 

Parents who argue a lot tend to undermine each other in front of their children. This can lead to a condition called parental alienation syndrome, which can have a negative effect on the relationship between the children and the parent who’s undermined the most. 

Depending on the circumstances, the kids may even view the targeted parent as evil or ill-natured. Combating that image and rebuilding the relationship will take a considerable amount of work. Thankfully, it’s possible with help from a child therapist.

2. Chronic Stress

Living in a tense household is incredibly stressful, especially for children who may not understand the conflict’s cause or unpredictable nature. The turbulent feelings can leave children feeling helpless, scared, and insecure. Over time, such emotions can develop into more severe issues and behaviors that require clinical care. 

3. Mental Health Disorders

Parental conflict can contribute to the development of mental health disorders like anxiety and PTSD. These conditions can affect children for years if left unaddressed. While kids are inherently resilient and can adapt to changing circumstances fairly quickly, they have a hard time coping with continuous strife that has no end in sight. 

If you’re concerned about your kids’ mental health, turn to the child therapists at Fairbanks Psychiatric & Neurological Clinic APC. For over 30 years, this practice has treated individuals of all ages throughout central Alaska. Specializing in the management of mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, and PTSD, their highly experienced providers take a multi-pronged approach to treating patients. To learn more about their outpatient services, visit their website. To make an appointment with a qualified child therapist, call (907) 452-1739.