The Impact of Demand/Withdraw Patterns on Health in Emerging Adults' Serial Arguments with Pare...

Reoccurring argumentative episodes are known as serial arguments. Prior research on serial arguing has shown that engaging in demand/withdraw patterns during episodes with a romantic partner is detrimental to one's physical and mental health. This study asked emerging adults to report on a serial argument with their parents. Emerging adult-demand/parent-withdraw was related to a disruption in one's daily activities due to health problems, and this relationship was mediated by the degree to which the participants felt hyperaroused. Contrary to our hypothesis, parent-demand/emerging adult-withdraw also was positively related to a disruption in daily activities. This relationship also was mediated by hyperarousal.