JOINT CUSTODY AND THE PRESCHOOL CHILD |
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| Authors: | Rosemary McKinnon M.S.W. Judith S. Wallerstein Ph.D. |
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| Affiliation: | Rosemary McKinnon, M.S.W. is a Senior Clinician at the Center for the Family in Transition, Corte Madera, California, and in private practice in San Rafael, California;Judith S. Wallerstein, Ph. D., is the Executive Director of the Center for the Family in Transition, Corte Madera, California, and Senior Lecturer at the University of California at Berkeley School of Social Welfare and School of Law |
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| Abstract: | A longitudinal study of 25 families, with children aged 14 months—5 years, in joint custody, is reported. Varying motivations that lead divorcing parents to undertake and sustain joint custody are discussed, together with the stresses and gratifications of these arrangements for the parents and children. Findings are that where both parents are motivated primarily by interest in the child, where the parenting is sensitive and where the child is shielded from interparental conflict, young children do well. Such families were not the majority in this study. Significant differences emerged in the adjustment of the 1–3 age group as compared with the 3–5 age group which point to greater difficulties for the 3–5 year-olds. |
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