Notre Dame research shows children’s school performance tied to family “type” | News | Notre Dame News | University of Notre Dame Liquid error: internal Skip To Content Skip To Navigation Skip To Search University of Notre Dame Notre Dame News Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Home Contact Search Menu Home › News › Notre Dame research shows children’s school performance tied to family “type” Notre Dame research shows children’s school performance tied to family “type” Published: July 19, 2010 Author: Liquid error: internal The way a family interacts can have more of an impact on a child’s predicted school success than reading, writing or arithmetic, according to a University of Notre Dame study published recently in the Journal of Child Development. University of Notre Dame Professor of Psychology Mark Cummings and colleagues at the University of Rochester studied the relationship patterns of some 300 families (with six year-olds) over the course of three years, and found distinct family-school connections. Specific family “types” emerged as predictors of school success: “Coming from a cohesive family, in which members tend to be warm and responsive to one another, where problems are resolved, and members cope well, increases the likelihood of children doing well in school,” according to Cummings. Children from enmeshed families, characterized by over involvement, hostility and only moderate warmth, enter school with no more problems than their cohesive family peers, but suffer more anxiety and feelings of alienation later, Cummings explains. The third family type, “detached,” in which all problems are avoided, in which hostility is present, and without displays of affection, tend to have children with the most problems. “They often start school with more disruptive behavior and higher levels of aggression and difficulty cooperating,” Cummings explains. Though dysfunctional family relationships can negatively impact a child’s school experience, Cummings points out that other factors – schools in high-crime areas or poverty, for example — also can contribute to problems in school. Specializing in parental impact on child development and the psychology of children and families, Cummings is author or co-author of several books including “Marital Conflict and Children: An Emotional Security Perspective” (Guilford Press, 2010). Contact: Mark Cummings, ecumming@nd.edu or 574-631-4947 Posted In: Research Home Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Related October 05, 2022 Astrophysicists find evidence for the presence of the first stars October 04, 2022 NIH awards $4 million grant to psychologists researching suicide prevention September 29, 2022 Notre Dame, Ukrainian Catholic University launch three new research grants September 27, 2022 Notre Dame, Trinity College Dublin engineers join to advance novel treatment for cystic fibrosis September 22, 2022 Climate-prepared countries are losing ground, latest ND-GAIN index shows For the Media Contact Office of Public Affairs and Communications Notre Dame News 500 Grace Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Pinterest © 2022 University of Notre Dame Search Mobile App News Events Visit Accessibility Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn