Environmental or genetic influences, or both could account for the increased risk of divorce among the offspring of separated parents. Previous studies have used covariates to statistically control for confounds, but the present research is the first genetically informed study of the topic. The investigation used the Children of Twins Design with…

Background: Although parental divorce is associated with increased substance use and internalizing problems, experiencing the separation of one's parents may not cause these outcomes. The relations may be due to genetic or environmental selection factors, characteristics that lead to both marital separation and offspring functioning. Method: We…

Reviews the empirical literature on the longer-term adjustment of children of divorce from the perspective of (a) the stressors and elevated risks that divorce presents for children and (b) protective factors associated with better adjustment. The resiliency demonstrated by the majority of children is discussed, as are controversies regarding the…

Conducted one-year follow-up study on families randomly assigned to settle custody disputes either in mediation or through adversary procedures. Consistent with Time 1 reports, at Time 2, fathers who mediated were substantially more satisfied than were fathers who litigated. Fathers who mediated also complied more with child support orders.…

Discusses conceptual model highlighting renegotiation of relationships and redefinition of boundaries in divorced family system. Considers issues of intimacy and power boundary redefinition between parents and children and between former spouses regarding grief and self-efficacy. Suggests boundaries should be formal, distant, and rigid. (CRR)

This study employed data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to examine the consequences of marital disruption for youth prospectively. Using a diverse sample of 6,416 youth, we examined pre- and postdisruption group differences among youth in subsequently disrupting and continuously intact homes. We also examined the extent…

Replicated earlier study in which parents negotiated child custody disputes either in mediation or through adversary system. Subjects in new study were 35 mediation families and 36 litigation families. In both studies, mediation greatly reduced frequency of custody hearings, allowed earlier settlements, and improved satisfaction reported by…

Data on the relation between marital turmoil (i.e., discord and divorce) and behavior problems in children are reviewed. Several parameters of this relation are outlined, including type of marital turmoil, form of the child's behavioral response, sex differences, age effects, parental buffering, and effects of parental psychopathology. (Author/MP)

Forty pairs of separated parents were randomly assigned to attempt to settle their child custody dispute either in mediation or through adversary procedures. Outcomes of the two methods of dispute resolution were compared in regard to diversions from court, parents' evaluations of the court experience, and parents' psychological adjustment.…

Parental divorce is associated with problematic offspring adjustment, but the relation may be due to shared genetic or environmental factors. One way to test for these confounds is to study offspring of twins discordant for divorce. The current analyses used this design to separate the mechanisms responsible for the association between parental…