In a recent "Journal of Marriage and Family" article, Johnson and Easterling (2012) reviewed research on the effects of parental incarceration on child well-being, focusing on the various conceptual frameworks linking parental incarceration and child well-being and the "important methodological and conceptual challenges related to selection bias"…

In this article, the authors argue that one approach to teaching Introduction to Social Problems is to structure the course content around taken-for-granted beliefs that many students have about the social world. In doing so, the authors discuss the social construction of social problems, how sociology differs from common sense, and the importance…

In 1996, the author published "A Secret Life in a Culture of Thinness: Reflections on Body, Food, and Bulimia" (Tillmann-Healy, 1996), an account of her struggle with binging and purging from ages 15 to 25. She came to understand bulimia as a communicative act, expressing fear, anxiety, and grief. From 25 to 35, her recovery from bulimia involved…

Robert Hummer and Erin Hamilton note that the prevalence of fragile families varies substantially by race and ethnicity. African Americans and Hispanics have the highest prevalence; Asian Americans, the lowest; and whites fall somewhere in the middle. The share of unmarried births is lower among most foreign-born mothers than among their U.S.-born…

Zimmerman may be correct in asserting that welfare spending and divorce rates are either unrelated or inversely related. However, future research efforts should take advantage of methodological innovations such as pooled cross-sectional time-series analysis, and develop a more comprehensive indicator of states' social integration levels. (LLL)

Examines vocabularies of motives in divorce. Documents indeterminacy and complexity of marital situations from which divorces arose; then documents distinct vocabulary of motives used by divorce initiators and opposing vocabulary of motives used by noninitiators. Presents evidence suggesting that sequential models of divorce in which one stage of…

Discusses the role of the therapist in co-mediation of a divorce with a lawyer. Includes lawyer's expectations, differences from couple therapy, couples' expectations, kinds of appropriate and effective interventions, and creative mediation techniques. Demonstrates how two professionals can build a satisfying professional relationship. (Author/ABL)

Stresses the importance of teacher awareness in helping children cope with divorce. Curriculum activities which present different life-styles and situations are suggested. (Author/DB)

This commentary is a response to an article on the impact of child support guidelines on the economic well-being of children by Rettig, Christensen, and Dahl. The response is organized into two sections: a critique of the analyses and recommendations offered by Rettig et al., and a different set of solutions based on a broader definition of the…

Addresses the specific needs of a clearly delineated population of individuals who are finding difficulty adjusting to the irrevocable, but often unwanted, loss of a partner through separation or divorce. Describes emotionally attached or ambivalent persons and their problems. Discusses group work with these individuals, including group…

Surveys the literature and provides case examples supporting the view that social workers are uniquely qualified to evaluate child custody questions and can learn to handle themselves in the courtroom, either as employees of the court or as private consultants. (Author/NB)

Uses contested child custody cases between divorcing parents to examine the interconnections between legal and familial processes. Examines the structure of the legal system in relation to the factors leading to custody litigation, the strategies of parents contesting the custody of their children, and the impact of these actions on the legal…

Analyzes the assumptions implicit in the legal professon's model of divorce (that it is a legal process involving the application of legal rules to the facts of the parties' lives), argues their inadequacies and inappropriateness, and suggests how therapists should view divorce mediation based upon their own understanding. (BH)

Presents a proposed typology of absent parents who do not pay support, as well as observations on certain emotional issues for the nonrecipient parent which should be resolved. (Author/BL)

Advocates wider recognition of joint custody and coparenting of children after divorce or separation, reviews pertinent legal and other related literature, identifies indications and contraindications for joint custody and coparenting, and briefly discusses implications for social workers. (Author/MP)