CORRELATES OF CHILDREN'S SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT FOLLOWING DIVORCE

This study examines family correlates of children's social adjustment following divorce. Data concerning 411 children were collected from interviews wlth 206 randomly selected custodial parents. A social adjustment scale completed by the custodial parent served as the criterion measure of children's adjustment. The most significant factor related to children's satisfactory social adjustment was a positive relationship with the custodial parent. Other significant correlates included the custodial parent's own ability to maintain emotional and social adjustment, that parent's age and number of previous marriages, the children's current reaction to the divorce, and parental satisfaction with dating and friends.