This article provides a systematic review of the research progress and theoretical framework concerning the impact of parental marital conflict on child development, with the aim of clarifying developmental trends in this field and providing theoretical guidance for future research. The research progress can be divided into two stages. The first stage, from the 1930s to the late 1980s, represents an outcome-oriented phase in which case descriptions served as the primary research method. The second stage, from the early 1990s to the present, marks a process-oriented phase characterized by empirical research paradigms. Between 1990 and 2018, scholars successively proposed seven theoretical frameworks, including the cognitive-contextual framework and the emotional security theory, which facilitated a theoretical shift in the field from an outcome-oriented to a process oriented perspective. Despite significant progress, several research gaps remain. First, existing studies often overlook the synergistic effects of different types of parental marital conflict and their dynamic associations with child development. Second, there is insufficient exploration of the intergenerational transmission of the harmful effects of marital conflict within parent-child relationships. Third, there is a lack of family-centered positive intervention programs targeting psychological process variables. Future research may advance in three directions: strengthening longitudinal studies to clarify dynamic parent-child associations; deepening experimental research to uncover the pathways of intergenerational influence; and emphasizing applied research to develop innovative positive intervention programs.

parental marital conflict')">"> parental marital conflict, child development, internalization and externalization issues, psychopathological symptoms, family adaptation