TAILORING THE INTERVENTION TO THE CHILD IN THE SEPARATING AND DIVORCED FAMILY

Longitudinal and national studies show that many children of divorce suffer grave emotional and educational difficulties. These difficulties, which are evident before, during, and long after divorce, have complex roots in skewed family relationships, such as troubled parent/child relationships, the psychiatric disturbance of one or both parents, and continuing parental conflict. Although it is abundantly clear that these families are in dire need of a wide range of sophisticated educational and clinical programs, both brief and extended, to address the different subgroups within this population, few such programs are available. Of particular concern are high-conflict families where the divorce may have triggered a thought disorder Family-centered and group programs that make use of recent research findings have been successful in addressing both parents and children within different target groups in the divorce population. Programs based on these successful demonstration projects should be made widely available through the courts and/or in the community.