HELPING CHILDREN SUCCEED AFTER DIVORCE

In an effort to prevent some of the well-documented problems that occur in children and families undergoing divorce, a parent education program, Helping children Succeed After Divorce, was developed and mandated by a domestic relations court in a major metropolitan area. The purpose of the parent seminar is to educate divorcing parents about the effects of divorce and continued conflict on their children and to specify concrete actions that divorcing parents can take to help their children. The seminar's intent is to prevent long-term emotional, social, and academic problems among children of divorce. This article addresses the development, operation, and preliminary evaluation results of this psychoeducational program for divorcing parents.     

CHILDREN IN CHANGING FAMILIES

An extensive body of research has demonstrated that children in families touched by separation and divorce face considerable turmoil in their young lives. This article describes the results of a pilot study of a group curriculum aimed at ameliorating the negative effects of divorce and family instability for children ages 9 to 12. Based on the ratings of parents, many children benefit noticeably from the program, especially those with less self-expression, low self-esteem, and more behavioral problems before the program. Teachers, however, often observed no difference in the classroom behavior. The limitations of the study are discussed and caution is recommended in interpreting the findings .     

FAMILIES IN TRANSITION

This article describes one of the first mandatory divorce orientations in the country. Beginning in 1976, this program has served as the model for other highly successful programs throughout North America. The program helps couples deal with the psychological and social divorces as well as the legal divorce. It also provides information for parents about how to tell their children and to monitor the effect of divorce on their children's lives.     

EFFECTS OF SKILL-BASED VERSUS INFORMATION-BASED DIVORCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND PARENTAL COMMUNICATION

This study used a pre- and postevaluation with a control group to compare the effectiveness of two divorce education programs: skill-based Children in the Middle (CIM) and informationbased Children First in Divorce (CFD). Each treatment group consisted of approximately 125 divorcing parents mandated to attend divorce education in Florida. The control group consisted of 64 divorcing parents not mandated to attend divorce education in Alabama for lack of a program. Treatment and control parents lived in comparable cities with comparable demographics. Results indicate that CIM, not CFD, improved parental communication. Both CIM and CFD reduced child exposure to parental conflict. Neither program had effects on domestic violence, actual parental conflict, or child behavior problems. Across all groups, parents with greater divorce knowledge and communication skills experienced more reciprocal discussions with the other parent, less parental conflict, less domestic violence, and they exposed children to less conflict.     

Children’s voices on equal time-sharing arrangement following parents’ divorce

The article presents the final part of an Icelandic research project on parents and children of divorce, focusing on grown-up children’s experiences of equal time-sharing arrangements, ETSA, after their parents’ divorce. It consists of a quantitative analysis of firstly a nationally representative sample mapping the frequency and experience of 18–59 years old individuals of ETSA after parents’ divorce, and secondly a qualitative analysis of 16 long interviews with 16 children of divorce reflecting on their experiences. Both analyses indicate different experiences of this type of arrangement. The reality of the arrangement in practice is that parents chose the arrangement on the basis of their own preferences rather than a court imposing it or because the generally accepted core conditions for a positive outcome for children were in place. These negative experiences of ETSA are discussed in further detail and the need for law reform and service improvement is considered.     

Evaluation of Topics in Utah's ONE‐HOUR Divorce Education Program

Divorce education programs are mandatory in most states. Despite the ongoing debate in the field regarding the appropriate duration of these programs, the goal of the current study was to identify the following five content areas in divorce education that may be most relevant for predicting favorable outcomes: (1) impact of divorce on children, (2) impact of divorce on family relationships, (3) financial responsibilities of divorcing parents for children, (4) benefits of positive coparenting, and (5) impact of domestic violence on children and family relationships. Using divorcing parents' self‐reported data (N = 3,275) from a one‐hour online divorce education program in Utah, we examined participants' post‐divorce intentions to treat each other respectfully, especially in front of the child(ren), and engage in positive coparental practices. The results showed that the program was effective in obtaining these objectives. We discuss these findings in depth and offer suggestions for future programs.     

FOSTERING RESILIENCE IN THE AFTERMATH OF DIVORCE: The Role of Evidence-Based Programs for Children

The negative impact of divorce is a concern with far-reaching ramifications for children's well-being. This article reviews divorce-related risks and protective factors that provide an empirical guide for the content of effective programs for children. The promising potential of child-focused interventions is highlighted, including examples of programs with evidence of effectiveness. The Children of Divorce Intervention Program is described in greater detail as an example of a preventive program with six controlled studies documenting multiple benefits to children, including reductions in anxiety, behavior problems, somatic symptoms, and increases in their healthy adjustment at home and at school. A vision for future research and practice is discussed, including best practices for adapting children's programs to court-connected services and a paradigm shift involving systematic preventive outreach to all separating parents with minor children, before difficulties become rooted and chronic.     

A NATIONWIDE SURVEY OF MANDATORY PARENT EDUCATION*

In an effort to take positive steps toward coping with problems for families and children created by high levels of separation and divorce, ever increasing civil caseloads and the exposure of children to interparental conflict, court‐affiliated educational programs have emerged in the United States for parents separating from their spouse or partner or going through a divorce. This article will provide an overview of the creation of such programs and their development, which includes a discussion regarding the numerous states currently mandating parents to attend. It will summarize some of the research which has been conducted as to the efficacy of the programs and will provide the results of our nationwide research for each state's parent education status. There is a discussion of domestic violence issues and sensitivities in the context of parent education programs and possible future directions for mandatory parent education.     

A REVIEW OF ONLINE DIVORCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Divorce education programs first surfaced over four decades ago. Today, many states mandate parents to participate in a divorce education program before their dissolution can be finalized. Changes in the technological landscape have allowed innovative practitioners to create online divorce education programs, yet these programs have not been formally evaluated for quality. Adapting a research design for evaluating face‐to‐face programs, we created an online divorce education review form and reviewed online divorce education programs that parents use to meet court‐mandated requirements. Results reveal that online programs have significant potential to help divorcing parents, yet there are areas of online program content and instructional strategies that can be improved. Program content that includes legal and court focused topics or modules, or that offer advice for families facing special circumstances such as domestic violence, could be enhanced. Additionally, most of the instructional strategies were passive. With this research, recommendations were made for improving program content and instructional strategies for online divorce education programs.     

EFFECTS OF DIVORCE ON ADULT CHILDREN OF DIVORCED FAMILIES IN CHILE

This article examines the long-term effects of divorce on adults whose parents divoiced during their childhood in Chile. A study of 35 adult Chileans found that many still fantasize about their parents 'reconciliation and as children had not been told about the divorce until one of the parents had already left the home. Preventive intervention oriented toward preparing both parents and their children for the impending divorce are suggested.     

A CALL UNHEEDED

This article discusses the obstacles to implementing education programs for divorcing parents, the goal of which is to make parents aware of the effect divorce can have on children and provide them with skills necessary to address such problems. This article attempts to differentiate between adopter and nonadopter courts, that is, courts that have adopted mandatory education programs for divorcing parents and courts that have not. The article also provides an analysis of possible justifications of why some courts have chosen not to implement such programs.     

Transgender Family Law

Transgender people face unique issues in parentage, custody, and divorce cases. Many transgender people are raising children or wish to do so. This article examines the main legal issues facing transgender people who become parents by giving birth or impregnating a partner, through assisted reproduction, through marriage, by raising a child, or through adoption. In the past, some courts viewed a parent's gender transition as a sufficient reason to terminate parental rights. Today, the law has shifted to provide much more security for transgender parents, though significant bias still remains, particularly in divorce and child custody cases. In addition, many states have not yet fully addressed how to determine the legal parentage of children born through assisted reproduction. I analyze the legal landscape for transgender parents and spouses and offer critical suggestions to ensure that transgender people are able to protect their families and their parental rights.     

SEPARATION ANXIETY AND DE FACTO DENIAL OF VISITATION

The dynamics of separation anxiety and its potential impact upon restriction of legal visitation in preschool age children is discussed. The interplay between adult personality characteristics and the child's developmental level is inextricably intertwined to generate separation fears. This interplay is presented within a theoretical framework of interaction. Unfortunately, the child's reactions to separation are frequently misinterpreted by the parents as indications of some mistreatment by the former spouse. Although adjustment difficulties in preschool age children coping with divorce are likely, the pattern of disturbance associated with separation anxiety is predictable and occurs almost exclusively with temporary removal from the primary parent. Behavioral health and legal professionals are cautioned against allowing such behavioral disturbance to be utilized by combative parents to deny, restrict or abridge scheduled visitations with the nonresidential parent. Requests for private custody evaluations have increased dramatically in the past decade. Behavioral health professionals often find themselves being jointly stipulated to by disagreeing parties, or directly appointed by the court, to help formulate a residential plan to meet “the best interests of the children” affected. When assessing divorcing families with young children, varied adjustment patterns are observed. However, as Wallerstein and Kelly (1980) discovered, almost all children are adversely affected by the family rupture, at least on a short-term basis. Surprisingly less than 10 percent of the children experienced relief following the parental decision to divorce, despite the degree of explosiveness which may have characterized the dysfunctional marital relationship. Further, the particular response style exhibited by the children was primarily dependent upon the developmental and emotional level the child attained prior to the time of divorce. While positive adjustment has been correlated with an absence of feuding or animosity between the divorcing parents (McKinnon & Wallerstein, 1986), preschool children seem quite vulnerable to adjustment difficulties. Evidence has also begun to accumulate to suggest that divorce has a more serious impact upon boys than girls (Hetherington, 1979). Problems frequently surface during times of exchange, particularly when parents are actively engaged in battle. At its worst, these extreme maladjustments may resemble what appears to be a separation anxiety. Again, the Wallerstein and Kelly (1980) studies reported that preschool age youngsters displayed fright, exhibited regressions, confusion, increased aggression, maintained disruptive fantasies, and experienced guilt. While most of these symptoms remit within a year to a year and a half following divorce, continued bickering and conflict between the parents either prevents resolution, or may even exacerbate, these symptoms later. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the phenomenon of separation anxiety in greater detail, and to provide professionals aiding divorcing families with preschool age children sufficient information to recognize and understand these problems. Hopefully, this knowledge will facilitate those entrusted with making custodial-visitation recommendations, the confidence to follow through with agreed visitation plans despite what at first may appear to be discomfort to the child.     

DIVORCE EDUCATION FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN IN JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI

This article outlines the implementation of a children's component of a court-connected, mandatory divorce education program in Jackson County, Missouri. The efforts made to include significant stakeholders in the planning and implementation process are described. The curriculum for adults and children is summarized, and the structure and administration of the program are presented. Class provider recruitment and teacher qualifications are presented, as well as an overview of the initial responses to the children's classes. The difficulties and successes described may give direction to others considering the inclusion of children in mandatory divorce education classes.     

Voices of minor children heard and unheard in judicial divorce proceedings in the Netherlands

Under Dutch divorce law, children in theory have ample opportunity to make their voices heard: the petition for divorce must state how the children have been involved in preparing a parenting plan; all children aged 12 or 16 (depending on the context) or older have the right to be heard by the judge, and the judge may additionally hear younger children; the court may appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the interests of the child; and the child has the right to seek informal access to the court (by letter or telephone, for example) which may lead to an ex officio decision that changes the arrangements agreed by the parents in a divorce settlement or an earlier judicial decision. In practice, however, there is no guarantee that children's voices will actually be heard in divorce proceedings. Notably in the case of separation after an informal relationship (other than marriage or registered partnership) the opportunities given to children to be heard are often a dead letter.     

THE CONTENT OF DIVORCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS

A survey was conducted to assess the content coverage of more than 100 divorce education programs for parents in North America. Fifty-six percent of the programs were mandatory for at least some categories of divorcing parents. Results showed that the most intensively covered topics involved the effects of divorce on children and the benefits of parental cooperation. Moderate coverage was devoted to skills acquisition, such as conflict management and parenting, and to the effects of divorce on parents. Minimal coverage was devoted to "nuts and bolts" and legal issues. The results are discussed in terms of issues likely to emerge as a result of this content coverage.     

BRINGING CHILDREN TO THE MEDIATION TABLE:

With the rise of divorce mediation as an effective means of resolving divorce and custody disputes, a question that arises is whether a child should actively participate in the mediation process to make his or her voice heard. This article discusses the costs and benefits of involvement, focusing on four specific approaches to the inclusion of children in divorce mediation. This article comes to the conclusion that the integration of children in mediation ought to be considered on a case-by-case basis, and further proposes that a child be included in divorce mediation in circumstances where the child's input is needed to help parents resolve an issue of dispute that concerns their child's interests.     

CURRENT RESEARCH ON CHILDREN'S POSTDIVORCE ADJUSTMENT

This article reviews the current research on the effects of marital conflict, parental adjustment, custody, and access on children following divorce. Evidence from research demonstrates that significantly more adjustment problems confront children, especially boys, of divorced parents compared to those in never-divorced families. However, when assessed in years following the divorce, these children are functioning in normal limits and do not appear "disturbed," although the media report the opposite. The article discusses an important British study finding that marital conflict and not the divorce affect children and that divorce may mitigate some of the more destructive effects. The analysis of research dealing with joint custody brings together both current and ongoing studies. A surprising finding in one study was that mothers who share custody are more satisfied than those having sole custody and whose children see their father periodically. However, both groups expressed more satisfaction with their residential arrangement than did sole-custody mothers whose children had no paternal contact. Court-ordered joint custody was less satisfactory than when the parents voluntarily agreed to that arrangement, and spouses reporting high levels of marital conflict tended to do less well in joint custody arrangements than did families with less conflict.