The expert stated the risk of mental disorders in children due to parental conflicts

Family conflicts can seriously affect a child's mental and physical condition, especially at an early age and during a teenage crisis. Marianna Lynskaya, a clinical psychologist, speech therapist, and head of the Institute of Analytical Speech Therapy and Integrative Psychology, told Izvestia on April 24.

"If parents quarrel, the child unconsciously believes that it is because of him. If adults also shift responsibility for conflicts onto him, this becomes entrenched and increases internal tension," the specialist noted.

According to her, the child's psyche is designed in such a way that he perceives what is happening around him through the prism of his own responsibility. At the same time, limited life experience and insufficient resistance to stress lead to a catastrophic perception of the situation. As a result, even short-term conflicts can cause children to feel hopeless and anxious.

Lynskaya stressed that against the background of constant stress, a child may develop maladaptive reactions, including enuresis, stuttering, phobias and sleep disorders. Conflicts are especially dangerous for infants: the increased stress level in the mother can be transmitted to the child, forming the prerequisites for anxiety disorders.

The expert added that hidden conflicts also negatively affect the child's psyche. Even if the parents try not to sort things out in front of the child, he feels emotional tension, which leads to stress and frustration due to uncertainty.

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Among the possible consequences, the specialist named not only anxiety and depressive states, but also behavioral disorders. Sleep may worsen in children, irritability may increase, aggression or hyperactivity may manifest itself. In addition, stress can affect the immune and endocrine systems, increasing the risk of disease.

According to Lynskaya, chronic conflicts in the family form distorted behavioral patterns in the child, which can manifest themselves in adulthood. This is expressed either depending on parental attitudes, or in an attempt to act "the other way around", which also prevents the formation of one's own identity.

"It is impossible to completely avoid conflicts, but it is important that they do not turn into violence and are accompanied by an explanation for the child. Parents need to create a safe environment in which the child understands that what is happening is not related to him and is temporary," the expert said.

The specialist concluded that it is important for adults to be able to cope with stress in an environmentally friendly manner and not involve the child in their experiences. Only in this case can the risks of the negative impact of family conflicts on the mental development of children be reduced.

Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, author of the books "Parents. On April 1, Tatiana Tsvetkova informed Izvestia that the phrase "violation of the comfort zone" is increasingly heard among teenagers and is often used as a way to express dissatisfaction. According to her, such formulations most often arise against the background of family conflicts, so they should be resolved through a calm and trusting dialogue. At the same time, the expert noted that the widespread approach today, in which a teenager allegedly needs to be allowed almost everything, is erroneous.