Significant Family Dynamics Related to Postdivorce Adjustment in Parents and Children

ABSTRACT

This study concentrates on the postdivorce adjustment of parents and children in families with shared parenting time arrangements. Thirty divorcing parents with children aged 12 to 59 months old were interviewed using a semistructured telephone interview regarding their early experiences in the divorce process. Findings showed that work–family balance issues were related to postdivorce parental adjustment for mothers. Interparental hostility was related to child alienation and paternal overnight stays. Length of time since physical separation was related to number of overnight stays. These results shed light on the early experiences of families with young children going through the divorce process.     

Families Experiencing Divorce: Age at Onset of Overnight Stays,Conflict, and Emotional Availability as Predictors of Child Attachment

This study examined the qualities that contribute to postdivorce child attachment in a sample of 24 divorcing mothers and their children, ages 12 to 73 months, in the context of shared parenting time arrangements. Child attachment was assessed using Waters's Attachment Q-Set (AQS). Qualities such as age at onset of overnight stays, interparental conflict and communication, and emotional availability were examined for their importance in attachment security and dependency. Study hypotheses were partially supported. Although the study variables collectively did not predict attachment security and dependency outcomes, as hypothesized, the predictor variable of emotional availability (EA) child involvement proved significantly related with AQS security. Children who involved their mothers more in interaction were more secure with them. Further, EA child involvement contributed to attachment outcomes above and beyond age of onset of overnight stays and parent and partner contributions to interparental conflict.     

Emotional Availability During Mother–Child Interactions in Divorcing and Intact Married Families

Low-quality parent–child interactions have been associated with children's behavioral and emotional problems. Further, research has shown that divorce can be a stressful time for both parents and children, and might be linked with children's negative adjustment. The hypothesis of this study was that parent–child dyads will show lower quality interactions in divorcing versus intact families. Specifically, we posited lower mean scores on emotional availability (EA), which includes four caregiver qualities and two child qualities, during mother–child interactions in divorcing as compared with intact married families. Secondary data analysis was conducted on these two groups drawn from two separate samples. The samples were comparable in terms of maternal education and child age. Nonparametric tests revealed that these groups differed significantly on one dimension of EA—maternal sensitivity—with mother–child dyads from married families displaying a higher level of sensitivity than mother–child dyads from divorcing families. This finding could prompt new research as well as an increased emphasis on parental support in divorce-related interventions and education about the meaning of maternal sensitivity and how it could be maintained during the divorce transition.     

Developing Self-Care Practices in a Trauma Treatment Course

This article describes the development of self-care practices of social work students who were part of a larger study of students’ experiences in a graduate course on the treatment of trauma. Consensual qualitative research methods were used to analyze 17 participant journals submitted at 4 times during the course. Findings indicated that students benefited from being introduced to evidence-based practices for mediating the stress of trauma education, including journaling and mindfulness-based stress reduction. Although students reported struggling with developing effective self-care practices, they demonstrated an ability to integrate self-care into their professional practice behaviors. The authors review recommendations for research and pedagogy of self-care practices in courses on trauma treatment.     

Psychometrics of a Child Report Measure of Maternal Support following Disclosure of Sexual Abuse

ABSTRACT

The study examined a new child report measure of maternal support following child sexual abuse. One hundred and forty-six mother–child dyads presenting for a forensic evaluation completed assessments including standardized measures of adjustment. Child participants also responded to 32 items considered for inclusion in a new measure, the Maternal Support Questionnaire–Child Report (MSQ-CR). Exploratory factor analysis of the Maternal Support Questionnaire–Child Report resulted in a three factor, 20-item solution: Emotional Support (9 items), Skeptical Preoccupation (5 items), and Protection/Retaliation (6 items). Each factor demonstrated adequate internal consistency. Construct and concurrent validity of the new measure were supported in comparison to other trauma-specific measures. The Maternal Support Questionnaire–Child Report demonstrated sound psychometric properties. Future research is needed to determine whether the Maternal Support Questionnaire–Child Report provides a more sensitive approximation of maternal support following disclosure of sexual abuse, relative to measures of global parent–child relations and to contextualize discrepancies between mother and child ratings of maternal support.     

The Relationship between Knowledge and Child and Caregiver Distress during the Medical Examination for Child Sexual Abuse

When child sexual abuse is suspected, a child sexual abuse–related medical examination is recommended to ensure the child's well-being. While the extant research has sought to identify factors influencing child distress during this examination, only recently have studies began examining variables that may be directly associated with the child or with the medical setting. Knowledge of the child sexual abuse–related medical examination is one medical-related variable that has been implicated in child and caregiver distress during the examination. The current study contributes to the existing literature by investigating associations among examination knowledge in relation to caregiver and child anxiety at the time of a child sexual abuse–related medical examination, taking into account ethnicity, past child abuse, injury to child as result of abuse, and caregiver response to disclosure. Sixty-eight children and their nonoffending caregiver were assessed. Results indicated that understanding of the examination and caregiver response to disclosure were significantly associated with caregiver and child anxiety.     

Trajectories of Parenting During Infancy: The Role of Infant Temperament and Marital Adjustment for Mothers and Fathers

Although it is well accepted that parents greatly impact infant development, it is less clear which factors impact change in quantity and quality of parenting across infancy. This longitudinal study (N = 120 families) investigated how infant temperament and marital adjustment related to trajectories of mother and father involvement and sensitivity across infancy using multilevel models. Parental involvement (caregiving and play), infant temperament (surgency, negative affectivity, regulation), and marital adjustment were assessed from questionnaires when the infant was 3, 5, 7, 12, 14, and 20 months of age; parental sensitivity was coded from two episodes of the Still‐Face Paradigm in early infancy (3, 5, and 7 months). On average, mothers showed higher levels of caregiving, play, and sensitivity than fathers. Mother caregiving, play, and sensitivity increased over time. Father caregiving and play also increased over time, whereas sensitivity did not change with age. Happier marriages were related to increased play for both mothers and fathers. Infant surgency was also significantly related to caregiving, play, and sensitivity trajectories for mothers but not fathers. Findings are discussed in relation to parenting roles and family dynamics.     

Family Structure History and Adolescent Romance

This study examined the association between family structure history and adolescent romance. Using a national sample drawn from Add Health (N= 13,570), family structure at Wave I was associated with the likelihood that adolescents were involved in a romantic relationship at Wave II and, among those in a relationship, the number of relationships they had since Wave I. Cumulative family instability and its timing were also associated with these outcomes and largely drove the family structure effects. Gender and age interactions suggest that experiences of family instability were more consequential to the romantic lives of boys and younger teens.     

Will Economic Crises in Africa Weaken Rural‐Urban Ties? Insights From Child Fosterage Trends in Cameroon*

Abstract The welfare of rural families in many African countries depends on their solidarity ties with urban kin. These ties often channel remittances from urban workers and support the education and economic mobility of children from rural families through fosterage into urban families. The continued operation of these rural‐urban solidarity networks, however, is challenged by recent economic downturns and increased urban poverty. Using Cameroon as a case study, we examine the effects of economic downturns on child fosterage as a component of changes in rural‐urban solidarity. Results show a net decline in rural outfosterage rates during the years of economic decline. Such findings raise concern for the economic mobility prospects for children from rural families, especially in a climate of increased competition for limited formalsector employment.