Resiliency in Divorced Families

Abstract

The aim of this cross-sectional and exploratory study was to identify resiliency factors that are associated with family adaptation after divorce. Questionnaires (The Family Hardiness Index, The Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales, The Relative and Friend Support Index, The Social Support Index, The Family Sense of Coherence Scale) and an open-ended question were used to collect data independently from parents and children belonging to 68 divorced families in Belgium. Results indicate that there is a significant positive correlation between the three components of family hardiness (commitment, challenge, and control—according to the parents) and the family's adaptation to its changed circumstances. There are also positive correlations for both parents and children between the positive redefining of stressful situations by the family, the social support of the family, and the family's adaptation after divorce. According to the children there are also significant positive relationships between the family's use of avoidance strategies, the parents' educational level, the number of years that the parent had been divorced, and the family's adaptation.     

Parental Divorce and Premarital Couples: Commitment and Other Relationship Characteristics

Parental divorce is thought to affect the romantic relationships of young adults, especially with respect to their certainty about the relationship and perceptions of problems in it. We examined these connections with a random sample of 464 coupled partners. Compared with women from intact families, women from divorced families reported less trust and satisfaction, but more ambivalence and conflict. For men, perceptions of relationships were contingent on the marital status of their partners' parents, although men from intact and divorced families did differ on structural constraints that affect commitment. Young adults who were casually dating showed the strongest effects of parental divorce, suggesting that the repercussions of parental divorce may be in place before the young adults form their own romantic relationships.     

Spatial and Temporal Arrangements,Parental Authority,and Young Adults' Postdivorce Experiences

This research examines how the structure of children's time and space impacts parent–child relationship dynamics postdivorce. Our central research question is whether parent–child relationship quality and degree of perceived parental authority are associated with the amount of time spent with a parent and the type and amount of personalized space a child has at parents' homes after a divorce. We analyze the reports of 22 adolescents surveyed and interviewed in the northwestern United States in 2007. Most notably, the quality of personalized space for children, regardless of the amount of private space available, was significantly and positively related to parent–child relationship quality. Amount of time spent with a parent was also significantly and positively associated with parent–child relationship quality. Level of parental authority was partially positively associated with both quality of personalized space and amount of time spent with a parent. Our results confirm that these factors do indeed play a significant role in children's lives postdivorce and deserve more attention by families undergoing divorce and by researchers investigating the divorce experience for children and adolescents.     

Young Children's Negative Stereotyping of Peers from Divorced Families

Abstract

Five to 7-year-olds assigned the negative item, on 6 of 7 bipolar pairs of items representing divorce stereotypes in simplified form, more frequently to a child stimulus presented as from a divorced family than to a child described as from an intact family. Negative stereotyping of young children from divorced families was evidenced most clearly by female participants. Gender effects were indicated for participants, child stimulus pairs, and for treatment conditions where participants responded to children from single-mother or single-father versus intact families.     

Parental denigration reports across parent–child dyads: Divorced parents underreport denigration behaviors compared to children

Abstract

Parental denigration is a phenomenon characterized by disparaging comments made by one parent about the other parent, in front of their children. It is an emerging area of research with implications that appear to follow from a conflict perspective, rather than a parental alienation perspective. In three prior studies of young adults, sibling pairs, and parents, denigration was found to be (a) measured reliably and validly, (b) reciprocally occurring, (c) related to children feeling more distant from both parents, particularly the more frequent denigrator, (d) associated with various measures of maladjustment, and (e) underreported by divorced parents. These results held across marital status and parent gender, in group and individual analyses, across sibling reports, and across studies. In the current study, parent reports of co-parent denigration behaviors were similar to child reports in both married and divorced families. However, divorced parents consistently underreported their own denigration behaviors compared to child reports, and their reports of parent–child closeness and attachment was not associated with child reports. This is consistent with findings from previous work that divorced parents may be less aware of their harmful behaviors and view co-parents in a globally more negative light than children perceive them.     

The Influence of Parental Identification on Attitudes in Same-Sex Families

ABSTRACT

Without the ability to be legally married in most U.S. states until 2015, same-sex couples did not have the rights and privileges of married or once-married couples. Even with the changing legality and increasing social acceptance of same-sex marriage, the relationship between nonbirth parents and children in same-sex parented families is often not recognized as a legitimate child-parent bond. The focus of this article is to investigate how attitudes related to social networks and the language used to identify parental figures likely contribute to the binary gender-role structure of the family. Using data from a self-administered survey, I examine whether nonbirth and birth parents hold distinct attitudes about social concepts that are relevant to their lives.     

Perceived Parental Control Processes,Parent–Child Relational Qualities,and Adolescent Psychological Well-Being in Intact and Nonintact Families: Longitudinal Findings in the Chinese Culture

ABSTRACT

Over 3 consecutive years, Chinese adolescents from intact families (n?=?2,140) and nonintact families (n?=?234) responded to instruments assessing their perceived parental behavioral control (parental knowledge, expectation, monitoring, discipline, and demandingness, as well as parental control based on indigenous Chinese concepts), parental psychological control, parent–child relational qualities (satisfaction with parental control, child's readiness to communicate with the parents, and perceived mutual trust between parents and their children), and psychological well-being. Perceived parental behavioral control processes, parent–child relational qualities, and psychological well-being were poorer in nonintact families relative to intact families over time. In contrast, maternal psychological control was higher in nonintact families over time than in intact families over time. Adolescents from stable and disruptive nonintact families without remarriage generally performed poorer than did adolescents from nonintact families with remarriage on the various indicators of family processes and adolescent psychological well-being.     

Divorced Fathers and Their Daughters: A Review of Recent Research

This study examined single mothers' concerns about the effects of father absence on boys. A two-pan questionnaire covering 11 dimensions of parent role and child development was administered to a group of single and a group of nonsingle mothers. Subjects rated the "importance" of a father and a mother and the effects of a father's absence on a boy. It was found that singles rated a father more important than nonsingles did, but singles also rated a mother more important-this was called the "parenting effect." All subjects rated a father as more important than a mother; the two most significant dimensions, especially for single mothers, were "sex role" and "play activity," substantiating previous research' and observation. The findings were discussed in terms of single mothers' psychosocial conditions, and clinical implications were offered.     

From Wallflowers to Lonely Trees: Divorced Ultra-Orthodox Women in Israel

The issue of divorced women in the Israeli ultra-Orthodox Jewish community represents an important case in the study of divorced women in religious collective cultures. The unique nature of the ultra-Orthodox Israeli community, dealing with questions of segregation and internalization, conservatism and modernity, as well as inequality of women, might contribute to our understanding of divorcees in such cultures. This article sheds light on the internal process that divorced women undergo. Sixty-one phenomenological in-depth interviews were conducted with 4 groups (divorced women, divorced men, daughters of divorced parents, and professionals who deal with divorce with the ultra-Orthodox community). Results show a distinctive process of individuation that these women undertake, reflecting a fundamental tension between their inner individual perceptions and collective cultural norms. Conclusions suggest that divorced women in collective cultures are able to perform antinormative acts and still find a complex, dualistic way to be integral members of their communities.     

Marital Processes and Parental Socialization in Families of Color: A Decade Review of Research

Research published during the past decade on African American, Latino, and Asian American families is reviewed. Emphasis is given to selected issues within the broad domains of marriage and parenting. The first section highlights demographic trends in family formation and family structure and factors that contributed to secular changes in family structure among African Americans. In the second section, new conceptualizations of marital relations within Latino families are discussed, along with research documenting the complexities in African American men's conceptions of manhood. Studies examining within‐group variation in marital conflict and racial and ethnic differences in division of household labor, marital relations, and children's adjustment to marital and family conflict also are reviewed. The third section gives attention to research on (a) paternal involvement among fathers of color; (b) the relation of parenting behavior to race and ethnicity, grandmother involvement, neighborhood and peer characteristics, and immigration; and (c) racial and ethnic socialization. The article concludes with an overview of recent advances in the study of families of color and important challenges and issues that represent research opportunities for the new decade.     

Timing of Remarriage Among Divorced and Widowed Parents

Research on timing of parental remarriage is important to understanding consequences of remarriage for children. In this study, survival analyses were conducted predicting timing of parental remarriage from parental loss in a sample of 3,774 offspring whose parents divorced or whose mother or father died during childhood. Transition to remarriage was quicker for parents who divorced compared to those who were widowed, especially for fathers. By examining timing of remarriage from the perspective of parents, and thus children, we identify not only who is more likely to experience parental remarriage, but when remarriage is likely to occur.     

Kinship Care: A Cultural Resource of African American and Latino Families Coping with Parental Substance Abuse

SUMMARY

This paper examines kinship care as a cultural resource used by African American and Latino families coping with substance abuse by a family member. Although there is a growing body of literature on kinship care, there are no conceptual or empirical studies that have drawn or built on cultural similarities between these two groups of ethnic minority families. A framework that prioritizes cultural assessment and relevance in using familial and cultural resources is proposed to assist practitioners confronted with the demographic realities of working with social, clinical and ethnocultural complexities when serving ethnic minority families. The framework is based on practice implications raised by recent studies on kinship care and from the perspective of pertinent cross-cultural and anthropological literature.     

The Experience of Formerly Battered Women with Divorce

Abstract

The study measured the feelings about their parents' divorce reported by early adolescent children at the time of the divorce, three and ten years later, and retrospectively, at the ten-year mark. Sadness, shock and disbelief were the most common feelings at the time of the divorce, but relief, anger at one parent, gladness and a desire for parental reunion were also quite usual. Three years later, sadness, shock, disbelief and desire for parental re-union had declined sharply, and relief and gladness had increased. Ten years on, most feelings except gladness and relief were at a low level; but anger at one parent continued to be reported by more than one-fifth of the sample. Principal components analysis suggested the presence of two rather different groupings of feelings. The first described shock and upset, and had a relatively limited life span; the second centred on anger at one parent and relief and gladness at their departure, and these feelings continued into adulthood. At all three times, this latter group of feelings was associated with poorer relations with fathers. Stronger feelings about the divorce were not generally associated with poorer psychological adjustment, although at Time 3 bad feelings about the divorce were reflected in bad feelings about the self. The retrospective reports made at Time 3 substantially over-estimated the intensity of the negative emotions reported at the time of the divorce.     

Adaptation to Divorce: An Attachment-Based Intervention with Long-Term Divorced Parents

ABSTRACT

The aim of this attachment-based intervention was to elaborate, through shared narratives in a divorce recovery group, a representation of the events, the self, and the relationship that contribute to a better adaptation to the situation of divorce. After an 8-month intervention, participants felt better (negative affect was reduced and positive affect was increased) and less lonely (scores in both social and romantic loneliness decreased). Participants were also rated as more secure after the intervention. These findings suggest positive changes in the model of self following the intervention.     

Child-Rearing Effectiveness of Divorced Mothers:

The association of coping strategies and social sup- port to maternal distress and parenting style was investigated. Inter- views were conducted with 58 divorced mothers of preschool chil- dren. Results indicated that use of active behavioral and cognitive coping strategies was associated with feelings of control in child- rearing situations and with authoritative parenting. Reliance on cop- ing strategies that involved distancing, escape/avoidance, and social support was associated with symptoms of distress. Availability of family members for social support was generally associated with less authoritative parenting behavior, but also with less distress. Availability of friends was related to more authoritative behavior, but more distress. Coping and social support by friends contributed significantly to authoritativeness and distress beyond the variance contributed by mothers' education, financial stability, time since separation, and geographical region.     

Spirituality for Building Resilience in Children of Divorced Parents: A Cross-Country Experimental Study

Based on a post-test experimental study of 1,893 children of divorced parents across 15 countries, I examine influence of a spiritual education program (SEP) on their resilience building. I have used 4 scales to study the resilience and strengths of the treatment group children. Results of the analysis of variance and t test showed that treatment group children scored better on the scales compared to the control group. Through 4 structural equation models, I show that the scores of the treatment group children were influenced by parenting arrangements, economic class, SEP, and self-practice. Children who lived with single parents or had nonresident cooperative coparenting arrangements scored higher on the scales vis-à-vis those who had custodial and frequently conflicting coparenting arrangements or those whose parents had repartnered and they had stepparents. Upper middle-class children responded better to SEP than their elite class counterparts. Further, treatment group children who did 2 or 3 rounds of the SEP during the course of the study vis-à-vis once, and those who said that they self-practiced the program lessons regularly scored higher on the scales. The findings highlight the importance of spiritually sensitive interventions for resilience building of children of divorced parents.     

Sibling Interactions in Married and Divorced Families:

One hundred twenty-eight sibling dyads, 64 from married families, and 64 from divorced, were observed on two separate occasions while playing a structured and an unstructured game. Half of the sibling dyads within each family form were from higher socioeconomic status (SES) families and half from lower SES families. The frequency of caretaking (e.g., directing, teaching, helping), negative, and positive behaviors were coded. Results revealed that sibling interactions in divorced families are both more negative and less positive than in married families. Siblings in divorced families also engage in more caretaking behavior. Similar differences were detected between lower and higher SES families, yet differences in sibling interactions in married and divorced families were not exacerbated by socioeconomic status. Younger siblings were more likely to be the recipient of caregiving behavior and to be more positive in their interactions. However, both older and younger siblings' behavior was influenced by the game context.     

Expenditure Patterns of Divorced Single-Mother Families and Two-Parent Families in South Korea

This study examines differences in expenditure patterns between divorced single-mother families and two-parent families in South Korea. Data were obtained from 353 families living in Seoul: 51 divorced single-mother families and 302 two-parent families.Expenditure patterns are considered as the budget share of each given expenditure in addition to the elasticities of those expenditures. The budget shares for food consumed at home, shelter, and education of divorced single-mother families are substantially higher than those of two-parent families. Income elasticities of expenditures of divorced single-mother families for education and for apparel and shoes are more elastic than for two-parent families, while food eaten at home and entertainment are less elastic. The results of this study indicate that there are significant differences in the patterns of consumption expenditures between divorced single-mother families and two-parent families.     

Adolescents from Stepfamilies,Single-Parent Families and (In) Stable Intact Families in The Netherlands

This aiticle 'examines the effects on intimate relation- ships, relational attitudes, and well-being of growing up in: stepfami- lies after divorce, single-parent families, instable intact families, and stable intact families. Data are used from the national panel study USAD (Utrecht Study of Adolescence Development), a study of de- velopments as they occur in the life course of young people during h e 1990s. Results are presented from 2,064 respondents between 15 and 25 years of age, about their well-being and their development in inti- mate relationships and their views on (marriage) relationships. On a number of topics their parents are interviewed as well. From the analysis, it is clear that young people who lived in single- parent families and in stepfamilies significantly differ from young people who lived in stable intact families. Young people from single- parent families are more likely to start their relational career sooner and reported more problems with intimate relations than youngsters from stable intact families. Youngsters from stepfamilies have more modem views on relations than people from intact families. Adolescents from instable intact families have moderate scores. Most of these effects re- main when the results are adjustdfor differences in social class, family income and the parental views on family life.