Mothers' Behavior and Sons' Adjustment Following Divorce

Research on children's adjustment to divorce has repeatedly found that sons fare more poorly than daughters. In an effort to better understand the post-divorce adjustment of boys, this study focuses on two aspects of the mother-son relationship; maternal support and coercion, as reported by the son. In addition, we examine the extent to which the mother's attitude toward her ex-spouse might be affecting her interactions with her son. The results of a path analysis suggest that 18 to 39 months after parental separation, a mother's attitude toward her former mate is related to how supportive and coercive her son reports her to be in their relationshtp. Likewise, how coercive the mother is perceived to be is related to the son's level of aggression in school. These findings are discussed in light of the larger context in which the mother-son relationship exists. Expansion of the proposed path model is suggested in order to incorporate other family relationships and critical external factors such as financial circumstance.