Toll on Kids When Couples Fight

April 25 -- Almost every couple fights at some point — about anything from dirty dishes and socks left on the floor to bigger problems of trust and communication.

But some couples are almost constantly at each other's throats, with their marriage on the brink of divorce, as their kids witness yelling, name calling, unresolved disputes and lingering anger.

With five cameras and 300 hours of footage, Primetime took an unprecedented look into the inner world of two volatile American families, with parents who can't stop fighting, and the toll it takes on their children. The couples saw Primetime's cameras as an opportunity to take a closer look for themselves at what was really going on. Though the couples were allowed to turn off the cameras, they agreed to let them roll long enough to see the inner workings of their relationships.

The videotape, captured over 10 weeks, revealed the inner workings of marriages filled with tension, mistrust, accusations and shouting. Psychologists have long understood that parental fighting can be toxic to a child's emotional well-being. But new research goes further, suggesting the wounds are both psychic and physical.

The question we asked the experts: Should the couples split up or stay together for the sake of the kids?

Behind Closed Doors: The Hershbergers and The Moores

Les and Shannon Hershberger were high-school sweethearts who were pregnant with their oldest son before their senior prom. Now 33 and 32, respectively, they have been married for nine years and have three children.

"We're on shaky ground," said Shannon in an interview before the cameras were installed in their suburban San Diego home. "I think we're pretty close to divorcing."

Both recognize they may have gotten married too young, and they also struggle with issues of trust, communication, parenting, and the amount of time they spend together.

For Judy and Robert Moore, who live in a small railroad town outside Peoria, Ill. the fear of being alone is a primary reason they are staying together. "It's easier than being apart," said Judy, 42.