How does parental stress impact the quality of interactions children have with their parents?

Unfortunately, I can answer this from experience. My
children were 4 and 6 at the time of my divorce. Prior to my divorce, the stress both I
and their father were feeling was quite overwhelming.

Given
that both their father and I seldom had "good" converstaions, my children could (even at
a this young of an age) could feel the tension of our household. They both seemed to shy
away when their father and I were in the same room.

After
our divorce, my children changed dramatically. The loving relationship that I had once
known, prior to the fighting, returned.

As a teacher, I
also see the impact of family stress on my students. Grades will drop, friendships will
break up, and the interactions between the child and parent
dwindle.

These students feel as though they have enough
problems of their own simply dealing with growing up. Any stresses added because of
parental stress simply seems to much for them to bear.

As
for any research on the subject, check out the links below.