Childhood Parental Conflict and Its Impact on Marital Relationships and Emotional Well-Being among Married Daughters in District Peshawar

Abstract

This study explored the impact of childhood parental conflict on the marital relationships and emotional well-being of married daughters in District Peshawar, Pakistan. Parental conflict generates emotional instability in the family and can have long-term psychological and relationship impacts on children, especially daughters. This study was conducted to explore the effects of parental conflict on emotional experiences, marital relations, communication, emotional security and coping of married daughters. A qualitative research design and case study approach were used to obtain an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of the participants. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with married daughters who had experienced parental conflict during childhood. The participants were selected through purposive sampling and the thematic analysis was used to identify the main themes and patterns in the data. The results indicated that the childhood emotional experiences of frequent parental arguments, domestic tension, emotional neglect and fear had a significant impact on participants' emotional development and marital adjustment in adulthood. The participants expressed anxiety, emotional insecurity, lack of trust, communication difficulty, fear of conflict and emotional withdrawal in their marriages. The study also revealed that many participants used coping mechanisms to cope with psychological distress, including silence, avoidance, religious coping and emotional resilience. The study also finds that the parental conflict during childhood can affect the emotional and marital outcomes of married daughters, and that counselling, emotional support, and family intervention programmes have an impact on better family relationships and psychological well-being. The results also highlight the importance of premarital counseling, parenting awareness initiatives and accessible mental health support services for women across the country.