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REFERENCES
PARENTAL HOSTILITY
Ahrons C: The Good Divorce. New York, Harper Collins, 1995 p.19 (reference to still married high conflict families having
same effect as divorce or worse)
Amato P, Keith B: Parental Divorce and the Well-Being of Children: A Meta-Analysis. Psychological Bulletin 1991; 110(1):
26-46
Block J, Block J, Gjerde PE: The personality of Children Prior to the Divorce. Child Development 1986;57:827 (Discusses
the effect of personality and outside resources on the adaptability of the kid and effect of pre-divorce environment in determining
this resiliency.)
Bowman M, Ahrons C: The Effect of the Post-divorce Relationship on Paternal Involvement. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
1993;6(3):441
Bronfenbrenner, U: Discovering What Families Do, in Blankenhorn, D (ed.):Rebuilding the Nest. Milwaukee, Family Service
America, 1990 (Disusses importance of both parent remaining involved in childs life)
Camara K, Resnick G: Interparental Conflict and Cooperation: Factors Moderating Childrens Post-Divorce Adjustment, in
Heatherington EM, Arasteth JD (eds.): Impact of Divorce, Single Parenting, and Stepparenting on Divorce Hillsdale, NJ, Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates, 1988
Cherlin AJ, Furstenberg FF: Longitudinal Studies of Effects of Divorce on Children in Great Britain and the United States.
Science 1991;252(5011):1386 (Among many things cite that great majority of kids of divorce are very young, often in the preschool
years.based on their involvement in the National Child Survey.)
Clapp G:Divorce & New Beginnings. New York, John Wiley & Sons, 1992. (Affirms need for both parents p.106/136;
states that parental conflict increases problems for kids p.108, not a single event but a series of events p.110, dismisses
for good of children p.128, no short visits p.143.)
Emery RE: Interpersonal Conflict and the Children of Discord and Divorce. Psychological Bulletin 1982;92:310
Fisher HE: Anatomy of Love. New York, W.W. Norton, 1992 (Details studies showing that staying together is not in best
interests of children)
Furstenberg, FF, Cherlin A: Divided Families: What Happens to Children When Parents Part. Cambridge, Harvard University
Press, 1991 (Places more emphasis on the role of parental hostility and the parent capabilities of custodial parent. 49 %
of non-custodial fathers dont see kid after one year. Most divorced couples simply arent capable of the kind of continuous,
courteous communication that is require if both of them are to play major roles in bringing up the children.)
Hopper J: Oppositional Identities and Rhetoric in Divorce. Qualitative Sociology 1993; 55(11): 803
Hunt M, Hunt B: The Divorce Experience. New York, McGraw Hill, 1977. (First major proposal of adult recovery model. Reported
more than 1/3 of mothers still angry after five years.)
Johnston J, Kline M, Tschann JM: Ongoing Postdivorce Conflict: Effects on Children of Joint Custody and Frequent Access.
Journal of Orthopsychiatry 1989;59:576 (The more contact children have with two warring parents, the more emotionally troubled
the youngsters were and the more behavior problems they had. These children were living in a constant state of anxiety and
tension, constantly moving between two enemy camps.)
Kalter N: Long-Term Effects of Divorce on Children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 1987;57:587 (Found that most kids
who were OK at first had more serous problems as teenagers, especially the girls who had little father contact and could not
become involved in healthy heterosexual relationships.)
Kelly JB: Current Research on Childrens Post-Divorce Adjustment. Family and Conciliation Courts Review 1993: 31:45
Wallerstein JS, Blakeslee S: Second Chances. New York, Ticknor and Fields, 1989 (50% of women and 33% of men were angry
10 years later, during divorce process more than 50% of children saw at least one episode of physical violence and had never
seen any before the separation)
Thornton A: Changing Attitudes Towards Family Issues in the United States. Journal of Marriage and the Family 1989;52:873.
(Only 20 % of women said it was worth staying together for the kids sake.)
CUSTODY
Amato P, Keith B: Parental Divorce and the Well-Being of Children: A Meta-Analysis. Psychological Bulletin 1991; 110(1):
26-46
Angel, RA, Angel, JA: Painful Inheritance: Health and the New Generation of Fatherless Families. Madison, WI, University
of Wisconsin Press, 1993 (term fatherlessnss a mental health risk for childrencause poor school performance, impaired social
development, limit chances for optimal social mobility)
Bowman M, Ahrons C: The Effect of the Post-divorce Relationship on Paternal Involvement. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
1993;6(3):441
Braver SH, Wolchik SA, Sandler IN: Frequency of Visitation by Divorced Fathers: Differences in Reports by Mothers and
Fathers. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 1991;61:448
Bronfenbrenner, U: Discovering What Families Do, in Blankenhorn, D (ed.):Rebuilding the Nest. Milwaukee, Family Service
America, 1990 (Disusses importance of both parent remaining involved in childs life)
Camara K, Resnick G: Interparental Conflict and Cooperation: Factors Moderating Childrens Post-Divorce Adjustment, in
Heatherington EM, Arasteth JD (eds.): Impact of Divorce, Single Parenting, and Stepparenting on Divorce Hillsdale, NJ, Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates, 1988
Cherlin AJ, Furstenberg FF: Longitudinal Studies of Effects of Divorce on Children in Great Britain and the United States.
Science 1991;252(5011):1386 (Among many things cite that great majority of kids of divorce are very young, often in the preschool
years.based on their involvement in the National Child Survey.)
Emery RE: Interpersonal Conflict and the Children of Discord and Divorce. Psychological Bulletin 1982;92:310
Furstenberg, FF, Cherlin A: Divided Families: What Happens to Children When Parents Part. Cambridge, Harvard University
Press, 1991 (Places more emphasis on the role of parental hostility and the parent capabilities of custodial parent. 49 %
of non-custodial fathers dont see kid after one year. Most divorced couples simply arent capable of the kind of continuous,
courteous communication that is require if both of them are to play major roles in bringing up the children.)
Furstenberg FF, Morgan SP, Allison PD: Paternal Participation and Childrens Well-Being After Marital Dissolution. American
Sociological Review 1987;52:695 (Contact with fathers at end of first year. Only one child in six saw father once a week.
49 % hadnt seen father for a year. 20% had seen father only once a month. After ten years, only 10% had weekly contact, 63%
had no contact in the last year.)
Grief G: Mothers Without Custody. Lexington, MA, Lexington Books, 1988.
(1.5 million mothers are living apart from their children under eighteenroughly 2.5 million kids)
Guidubaldi J, Perry JD: Divorce and Mental Health Sequelae for Children: Follow-up of a Nationwide Sample. Journal of
the American Academy of Child Psychiatry 1985;24:531 (Followed 699 kids for six yearsall children had more trouble in school
with aggression and acting out. Most affected were boys in mother custody homes)
Heatherington EM, Cox M, Cox R: The Aftermath of Divorce in Stevens JH, Matthews, R (eds): Mother/Child, Father/Child
Relationships. Washington, D.C., NAEYC, 1977 (Showed increased impulsiveness, negative/disobedient behavior. Girls had improved
much more than boys over two years)
Kelly JB: Current Research on Childrens Post-Divorce Adjustment. Family and Conciliation Courts Review 1993: 31:45
King V:Nonresident Father Involvement and Child Well-Being: Can Dads Make a Difference? Journal of Family Issues 1994;15(1):78.
(national survey shows that the quality if relationship is relatively more important than the frequency of the visits)
Maccoby E, Mnookin, R: Dividing the Child: Social and Legal Dilemmas of Custody. Cambridge, Harvard University Press,
1992 (1100 couples, most of which could cooperate over kids; term was spousal disengagement)
Mott FL: When Is A Father Really Gone: Paternal-Child Contact in father-Absent Homes. Demography 1990;4:499 (Data for
the 49% number of fathers who dont see kid after a year)
National Commission on Children. Washington, D.C., GPO, 1991 (more than 20% of children in mother-custody homes had not
seen his or her father in five years)
Parker H, Parker S: Father-Daughter Sexual Abuse. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 1986;56:531
Seagull AA, Seagull EAW: The Non-Custodial Fathers Relationship to His Child: Conflicts and Solutions. Journal of Clinical
Child Psychology 1977;6:11. (Talks about problems with short visits and transitions.)
Warshak RA, The Custody Revolution. New York, Poseidon Press, 1992
FATHER VS MOTHER CUSTODY
The studies looked at the following: Sadness, distress, longing for the intact family, strong wishes for parental reconciliation,
self-esteem, maturity, independence, anxiety, behavior problems, psychosomatic complaints, custodial parent-child relationships,
teacher-child relationships, peer relationships. None of nine studies found any difference between groups
Camara K, Resnick G: Interparental Conflict and Cooperation: Factors Moderating Childrens Post-Divorce Adjustment, in
Heatherington EM, Arasteth JD (eds.): Impact of Divorce, Single Parenting, and Stepparenting on Divorce Hillsdale, NJ, Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates, 1988 (Heatherington also has text that says although mothers gave their children a hard time, they received
tough treatment from their children in return, particularly from their sons. Distraught preschoolers became demanding and
whiny and clung to fatigued mothers whom they ignored or disobeyed. Mothers, in return, became increasingly more restrictive
and negative while offering less nurturance and support. One mother described her relationship with her preschooler as declared
war.)
Petersen JL, Zill N: Marital Disruption, Parent-Child Relationships, and Behavior Problems in Children. Journal of Marriage
and the Family 1986:48:295 (School surveychildren of divorce almost 50% more likely to have discipline problems over the four
years surveyed. Further found that the children of parents who had divorced or separated were doing no worse than parents
in high conflict homes. As a group, the kids in the high conflict homes were worst of allmore depressed, impulsive, hyperactive
and misbehaved more often.)
Rosen R: Children of Divorce: What They Feel About Access and Other Aspects of the Divorce Experience. Journal of Clinical
Child Psychology 1987;6:24 (Children in both mother-custody and father-custody are more satisfied when they have more access
to the noncustodial parent)
Schnayer R, Orr RR: A Comparison of Living in Single-Mother and Single Father Homes. Journal of Divorce 1989;3:171
Warshak RA, The Custody Revolution. New York, Poseidon Press, 1992
Another set of studies looked at childrens adjustment as a function of custody. None found any difference between sole
and joint custody (though actual amount of time with the other parent varies wildly), but that the parents relationship with
the child, with each other, and childs regular access to each parent determined whether the child was likely to become anxious,
depressed and aggressive. Unfortunately they didnt look for the positive correlations
Leupnitz DA:Child Custody. Lexington, MA, D.C. Heath, 1982
Kline M, Tschann JM, Johnston JR, Wallerstein JS: Childs Adjustment in Joint and Sole Physical Custody Families. Developmental
Psychology 1989;25:430
Pearson J, Thones N: Custody After Divorce: Demographic and Attitudinal Patterns. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry
1990;60:233
Wolchik SA, Braver SL, Sandler IW: Maternal Versus Joint Custody: Childrens Post-Separation Experiences and Adjustment.
Journal of Clinical Psychologu 1985;14:5
GENDER DIFFERENCES
Belsky J, Steinberg L, Draper P: Childhood Experience, Interpersonal Development, and Reproductive Strategy: An Evolutionary
Theory of Socialization. Child Development 1991;62:647 (Daughters from divorced families reached menarche an average of six
months before age-mates from maritally intact families.)
Biller H, Salter M: Father Loss, Cognitive and Personality Functioning, in Dietrich DR, Shabad P (eds.): The Problem of
Loss: Psychoanalytic Perspectives. Madison, CT, International Universities Press, 1989 (Found that father deprived boys are
less assertive, more dependent on peer relationships, less likely to be involved in competitive sportsall of which led to
sense of alienation and loneliness. Found that girls raised exclusively by their divorced mothers are more likely to have
their own marriages end in divorce and that they had more unsatisfying sexual relationships.)
Blanchard RW, Biller HB: Father Availability and Academic Performance Among Third-Grade Boys. Developmental Psychology
1981:301 (had increased standardized test scores and better grades)
Furstenberg FF, Morgan SP, Allison PD: Paternal Participation and Childrens Well-Being After Marital Dissolution. American
Sociological Review 1987;52:695 (Contact with fathers at end of first year. Only one child in six saw father once a week.
49 % hadnt seen father for a year. 20% had seen father only once a month. After ten years, only 10% had weekly contact, 63%
had no contact in the last year.)
Gordon M: The Family Environment of Sexual Abuse: A Comparison of Natal and Stepfather Abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect
1991;13:121 (Abuse more likely with step-fathers. Also positive developmental effects on child of stepfather less dramatic
than with real father)
Gregory I: Anterospective Data Following Loss of a Parent: Delinquency and High School Dropout. Archives of General Psychiatry
1966;13:1965 (Study of 11,000 children that showed boys raised by fathers were less likely to become delinquent than boys
raised by mothers. Children raised by the opposite sex parent more likely to drop out of school)
Guidubaldi J, Perry JD: Divorce and Mental Health Sequelae for Children: Follow-up of a Nationwide Sample. Journal of
the American Academy of Child Psychiatry 1985;24:531 (Followed 699 kids for six yearsall children had more trouble in school
with aggression and acting out. Most affected were boys in mother custody homes)
Heatherington EM: Effects of Father Absence on the Personality Development of Adolescent Girls. Developmental Psychology
1972;7(3):313 (Contrasting the behavior of adolescents from father present, widowed, and divorced families, the daughters
of divorce showed the most seductive and promiscuous behavior, more likely to marry at an early age, to become pregnant before
marriage and to divorce)
Heatherington EM: Coping With Family Transitions. Child Development 1989;60:1 (Boys in high conflict families, whether
disrupted or intact, tended to show more aggressive/antisocial behavior. Saw especially coercive behavior cycles between non-remarried
mothers and sons)
Heatherington EM, Cox M, Cox R: The Aftermath of Divorce in Stevens JH, Matthews, R (eds): Mother/Child, Father/Child
Relationships. Washington, D.C., NAEYC, 1977 (Showed increased impulsiveness, negative/disobedient behavior. Girls had improved
much more than boys over two years)
Heatherington EM, Furstenberg, FF: Sounding the Alarm. Readings, A Journal of Reviews and Commentary in Mental Health
1989; 6:4
Heatherington EM, Parke R: Child Psychology: A Contemporary Viewpoint. New York, McGraw Hill, 1986 (Found that father
absent girls did not feel attractive and could not sustain relationships with males and did not find satisfaction in love.)
Kalter N: Long-Term Effects of Divorce on Children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 1987;57:587 (Found that most kids
who were OK at first had more serous problems as teenagers, especially the girls who had little father contact and could not
become involved in healthy heterosexual relationships.)
Mead M: Anomalies in American Postdivorce Relationships, in Bohanon P (ed): Divorce and After: An Analysis of the Social
and Emotional Problems of Divorce. New York, Anchor Books, 1971, p125
Parker H, Parker S: Father-Daughter Sexual Abuse. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 1986;56:531
Santrock J: Father Absence, Perceived Maternal Behavior, and Moral Development in Boys. Child Development 1975;43:455
(Used teacher ratings of moral maturityhighest ratings were with kids who had most time with father)
Zaslow MJ: Sex Differences in Childrens Response to Parental Divorce. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 1989;59:118
(Study done by NICHD and the NAS showed that boys respond more negatively (than girls) to divorce both immediately and over
a period of years, if they are living with an unmarried mother; whereas in father custody girls fare worse.)
FATHER ABSENCE
Amato PR:Father-Child Relations, Mother-Child Relations, and Offspring Psychological Well-Being in Early Adulthood. Journal
of marriage and the Family 1994;56:1031 (Both sons and daughter who feel close to their fathers were happier and more satisfied
with their lives regardless of their feelings towards their mothers)
Amato P, Keith B: Parental Divorce and the Well-Being of Children: A Meta-Analysis. Psychological Bulletin 1991; 110(1):
26-46
Angel, RA, Angel, JA: Painful Inheritance: Health and the New Generation of Fatherless Families. Madison, WI, University
of Wisconsin Press, 1993 (term fatherlessnss a mental health risk for childrencause poor school performance, impaired social
development, limit chances for optimal social mobility)
Biller H, Salter M: Father Loss, Cognitive and Personality Functioning, in Dietrich DR, Shabad P (eds.): The Problem of
Loss: Psychoanalytic Perspectives. Madison, CT, International Universities Press, 1989 (Found that father deprived boys are
less assertive, more dependent on peer relationships, less likely to be involved in competitive sportsall of which led to
sense of alienation and loneliness. Found that girls raised exclusively by their divorced mothers are more likely to have
their own marriages end in divorce and that they had more unsatisfying sexual relationships.)
Biller H, Solomon RS: Child Maltreatment and Paternal Deprivation: A manifesto for Research, Treatment, and Prevention.
Lexington, MA, Lexington Books, 1986 (Father involvement resulted in children who felt less out of control and less at mercy
of the world. Accepted responsibility more readily and more likely to behave responsibly)
Blanchard RW, Biller HB: Father Availability and Academic Performance Among Third-Grade Boys. Developmental Psychology
1981:301 (had increased standardized test scores and better grades)
Bronfenbrenner, U: Discovering What Families Do, in Blankenhorn, D (ed.):Rebuilding the Nest. Milwaukee, Family Service
America, 1990 (Disusses importance of both parent remaining involved in childs life)
Clapp G:Divorce & New Beginnings. New York, John Wiley & Sons, 1992. (Affirms need for both parents p.106/136;
states that parental conflict increases problems for kids p.108, not a single event but a series of events p.110, dismisses
for good of children p.128, no short visits p.143.)
Clarke-Stewart, KA: And Daddy Makes Three. Child Development 1978;49:466 (Up to three years found that a boys intellectual
development enhanced by amount of play with father; for girls more dependent on verbal interaction and fathers responses to
her overtures for social interaction.)
Crandall VJ, Dewey R: Parents Attitudes and Behaviors and Grade-School Childrens Academic Achievements. Journal of Genetic
Psychology 1984;104:53 (level of academic performance of 2nd-4th grade girls directly correlated with father involvement)
Draper P, Hardpenning H:Father Absence and Reproductive Strategy. Journal of Anthropologic Research 1982;38(3):255 (Cross
cultural study that showed that father deprived girls showed precocious sexual interest, derogation of males, and poor ability
to maintain sexual and emotional adjustment with one male.)
Furstenberg, FF, Cherlin A: Divided Families: What Happens to Children When Parents Part. Cambridge, Harvard University
Press, 1991 (Places more emphasis on the role of parental hostility and the parent capabilities of custodial parent. 49 %
of non-custodial fathers dont see kid after one year.)
Furstenberg FF, Morgan SP, Allison PD: Paternal Participation and Childrens Well-Being After Marital Dissolution. American
Sociological Review 1987;52:695 (Contact with fathers at end of first year. Only one child in six saw father once a week.
49 % hadnt seen father for a year. 20% had seen father only once a month. After ten years, only 10% had weekly contact, 63%
had no contact in the last year.)
Goldstein HS: Fathers Absence and Cognitive Development of Differential Cognitive Abilities. Psychological Reports 1982;51:843.
(proficiency in math, esp for daughters.)
Gordon M: The Family Environment of Sexual Abuse: A Comparison of Natal and Stepfather Abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect
1991;13:121 (Abuse more likely with step-fathers. Also positive developmental effects on child of stepfather less dramatic
than with real father)
Gottfriedsen MR, Hirschi T:A General Theory of Crime. Stanford, CA, Stanford University Press, 1990 (People who engage
in criminal acts lack self-control and empathy which are significantly determined by the father-child relationship.)
Guidubaldi J, Perry JD: Divorce and Mental Health Sequelae for Children: Follow-up of a Nationwide Sample. Journal of
the American Academy of Child Psychiatry 1985;24:531 (Followed 699 kids for six yearsall children had more trouble in school
with aggression and acting out. Most affected were boys in mother custody homes)
Heatherington EM, Furstenberg, FF: Sounding the Alarm. Readings, A Journal of Reviews and Commentary in Mental Health
1989; 6:4
Heatherington EM, Parke R: Child Psychology: A Contemporary Viewpoint. New York, McGraw Hill, 1986 (Found that father
absent girls did not feel attractive and could not sustain relationships with males and did not find satisfaction in love.)
Hoffman M: Father Absence and Conscience Development. Developmental Psychology 1971;4:400 (Looked at guilt following transgressions,
acceptance of blame for wrongdoings, compliance with rules, and internalized moral standardsfather absent kids had lowest
scores on all measures; boys more aggressive than peers)
Kalter N: Long-Term Effects of Divorce on Children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 1987;57:587 (Found that most kids
who were OK at first had more serous problems as teenagers, especially the girls who had little father contact and could not
become involved in healthy heterosexual relationships.)
King V:Nonresident Father Involvement and Child Well-Being: Can Dads Make a Difference? Journal of Family Issues 1994;15(1):78.
(national survey shows that the quality if relationship is relatively more important than the frequency of the visits)
Koestner R, Franz C, Weinberger J: The Family Origins of Empathic Concern: A Twenty-Six-Year Study. Journal of Personality
and Social Psychology 1990;58(4):709 (Followed 75 men and women from five years of age. Strongest predictor of becoming an
empathic adult was time spent with father)
Pedersen F, Rubinstein JL, Yarrow L: Infant Development in Father-Absent Families. Journal of Genetic Psychology 1979;135:51
(In children up to two found that father presence strongest correlate with precocious mental skills and curiosity)
Radin N, Russell G: The Influence of Fathers on Their Sons and Daughters. Social Work in Education 1986:8:77 (girls had
most effect on quantitative and math abilities, boys verbal intelligence)
Thomas AM, Forehand R: The Role of Paternal Variables in Divorced and Married Families: Predictability of Adolescent Adjustment.
American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 1993;63(1):126 (Relationship of children and their fathers is strong indicator of adolescent
adjustment to divorce)
Wallerstein JS, Kelly JB: Surviving the Breakup. New York, Basic Books, 1980 (Girls in mother-custody families expressed
more fears of being hurt, abandoned and betrayed by men; had less successful heterosexual relationships. At ten years more
than half the boys of mother-custody families were lonely and had experienced few if any lasting relationships with the opposite
sex. Female children of divorce worried by betrayal; males worry that they wont find true love.)
Warshak RA, The Custody Revolution. New York, Poseidon Press, 1992
Wells, LE, Rankin, JH:Families and Delinquency: A Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Broken Homes. Social Problems 1991;38:71
(kids from broken homes and single mother homes prevalency of delinquency is 10-15% higher)
Whiting B, Whiting J:Children of Six Cultures: A Psychocultural Analysis. Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 1975 (The
highest rates of assault and murder occurred in cultures which were most father-distant and the raising of children left exclusively
to females.)
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS ON CHILDREN AND PARENTS
Ahrons C: The Good Divorce. New York, Harper Collins, 1995
Amato P, Keith B: Parental Divorce and the Well-Being of Children: A Meta-Analysis. Psychological Bulletin 1991; 110(1):
26-46
Bing E: The Effect of Child-Rearing Practices on the Development of Differential Cognitive Abilities. Child Development
1982:34:631
Block J, Block J, Gjerde PE: The personality of Children Prior to the Divorce. Child Development 1986;57:827 (Discusses
the effect of personality and outside resources on the adaptability of the kid and effect of pre-divorce environment in determining
this resiliency.)
Bronfenbrenner, U: Discovering What Families Do, in Blankenhorn, D (ed.):Rebuilding the Nest. Milwaukee, Family Service
America, 1990 (Disusses importance of both parent remaining involved in childs life)
Cherlin AJ, Furstenberg FF: Longitudinal Studies of Effects of Divorce on Children in Great Britain and the United States.
Science 1991;252(5011):1386 (Among many things cite that great majority of kids of divorce are very young, often in the preschool
years.based on their involvement in the National Child Survey.)
Clapp G:Divorce & New Beginnings. New York, John Wiley & Sons, 1992. (Affirms need for both parents p.106/136;
states that parental conflict increases problems for kids p.108, not a single event but a series of events p.110, dismisses
for good of children p.128, no short visits p.143.)
Demo, DD, Acock, AA: The Impact of Divorce on Children. Journal of Marriage and the Family 1988;50:619
Emery RE: Interpersonal Conflict and the Children of Discord and Divorce. Psychological Bulletin 1982;92:310
Fisher HE: Anatomy of Love. New York, W.W. Norton, 1992 (Details studies showing that staying together is not in best
interests of children)
Gordon M: The Family Environment of Sexual Abuse: A Comparison of Natal and Stepfather Abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect
1991;13:121 (Abuse more likely with step-fathers. Also positive developmental effects on child of stepfather less dramatic
than with real father)
Grossman TB: Mothers and Children facing Divorce. Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Press, 1986 (Found mothers do not
understand that their childrens angry outbursts stem from the stress of the divorce. They do not understand that their children
need understanding. Instead they misinterpret their childrens outbursts as a series of isolated incidents that deserve disciplinary
action (although they frequently may not use it). At the same time the children do not recognize their mothers fatigue, but
misinterpret it as disinterest or anger, which of course fuels the youngsters feelings of hurt and isolation.)
Guidubaldi J, Perry JD: Divorce and Mental Health Sequelae for Children: Follow-up of a Nationwide Sample. Journal of
the American Academy of Child Psychiatry 1985;24:531 (Followed 699 kids for six yearsall children had more trouble in school
with aggression and acting out. Most affected were boys in mother custody homes)
Heatherington EM, Cox M, Cox R: The Aftermath of Divorce in Stevens JH, Matthews, R (eds): Mother/Child, Father/Child
Relationships. Washington, D.C., NAEYC, 1977 (Showed increased impulsiveness, negative/disobedient behavior. Girls had improved
much more than boys over two years)
Heatherington EM, Furstenberg, FF: Sounding the Alarm. Readings, A Journal of Reviews and Commentary in Mental Health
1989; 6:4
Hunt M, Hunt B: The Divorce Experience. New York, McGraw Hill, 1977. (First major proposal of adult recovery model. Reported
more than 1/3 of mothers still angry after five years.)
Johnston J, Kline M, Tschann JM: Ongoing Postdivorce Conflict: Effects on Children of Joint Custody and Frequent Access.
Journal of Orthopsychiatry 1989;59:576 (The more contact children have with two warring parents, the more emotionally troubled
the youngsters were and the more behavior problems they had. These children were living in a constant state of anxiety and
tension, constantly moving between two enemy camps.)
Kalter N: Long-Term Effects of Divorce on Children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 1987;57:587 (Found that most kids
who were OK at first had more serous problems as teenagers, especially the girls who had little father contact and could not
become involved in healthy heterosexual relationships.)
Kelly JB: Current Research on Childrens Post-Divorce Adjustment. Family and Conciliation Courts Review 1993: 31:45
McClanahan S, Sandfur G: Growing Up With A Single Parent Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 1994 (Chances of dropping
out of high school for children of divorce was 31% [non-disrupted families 13%, born out of wedlock was 33%]; teenage mother
for children of divorce was 33% [non-disrupted families was 11%, out of wedlock 37%])
Mead M: Anomalies in American Postdivorce Relationships, in Bohanon P (ed): Divorce and After: An Analysis of the Social
and Emotional Problems of Divorce. New York, Anchor Books, 1971, p125
Person E: Dreams of Love and Fateful Encounters. New York, Penguin, 1989 (Among children of divorce documented the lack
of trust and failure to commit to relationships)
Pope H, Mueller, CW: The Intergenerational Transmission of Marital Instability: A Comparison by Race and Sex. Journal
of Social Issues 1986;32:49 (Documented the lack of trust and failure to commit to relationships as well as higher incidence
of divorce in children of divorce)
Spanier GB, Thompson L: Parting: The Aftermath of Divorce. Beverley Hills, Sage Publications, 1984 (Part of a U Calif
study that showed for adults the re-involvement with life, creating a new lifestyle, was more crucial to adjustment after
divorce than was successful coping with the divorce itself.)
Thornton A: Changing Attitudes Towards Family Issues in the United States. Journal of Marriage and the Family 1989;52:873.
(Only 20 % of women said it was worth staying together for the kids sake.)
Wallerstein JS, Blakeslee S: Second Chances. New York, Ticknor and Fields, 1989 (50% of women and 33% of men were angry
10 years later, during divorce process more than 50% of children saw at least one episode of physical violence and had never
seen any before the separation)
Wallerstein JS, Kelly JB: Suriviving the Breakup. New York, Basic Books, 1980 (After 10 years common problems for the
1/3 of children who had been doing well and were now functioning poorly were moderate to severe depression, acute unhappiness,
poor learning, intense anger, sexual promiscuity, and delinquent behavior such as drug abuse, alcoholism and stealing. Only
25% of the kids felt they got any help from a family member and only 10% felt they got help outside of the family.)
Walczak Y: Divorce: The Childs Point of View. London, Harper & Row, 1984. (children were unhappy,, insecure, and apathetic
at the time of their parents divorce. They were no longer able to appreciate or look forward to things they once had enjoyed.
They lost their appetites, had difficulty falling asleep, showed tears, withdrawal, and bad tempers to express their misery.
A significant percentage had a hard time maintaining friendships and a social life. They seek attention, antagonize people,
and drive friends away. Same group also said that parents who helped most were detached from childs relationship to other
parent, neither trying to influence the childs feelings for the other parent or making it difficult to see the other parent;
have appropriate expectations for their children, expecting them neither to behave as grown-ups nor to be substitutes for
the former spouse or for adult friends; be reliable and predictable.)
HIGH RISK BEHAVIORS
Amato PR:Father-Child Relations, Mother-Child Relations, and Offspring Psychological Well-Being in Early Adulthood. Journal
of marriage and the Family 1994;56:1031 (Both sons and daughter who feel close to their fathers were happier and more satisfied
with their lives regardless of their feelings towards their mothers)
Amato P, Keith B: Parental Divorce and the Well-Being of Children: A Meta-Analysis. Psychological Bulletin 1991; 110(1):
26-46
Angel, RA, Angel, JA: Painful Inheritance: Health and the New Generation of Fatherless Families. Madison, WI, University
of Wisconsin Press, 1993 (term fatherlessnss a mental health risk for childrencause poor school performance, impaired social
development, limit chances for optimal social mobility)
Emery RE: Interpersonal Conflict and the Children of Discord and Divorce. Psychological Bulletin 1982;92:310
Furstenberg, FF, Cherlin A: Divided Families: What Happens to Children When Parents Part. Cambridge, Harvard University
Press, 1991 (Places more emphasis on the role of parental hostility and the parent capabilities of custodial parent. 49 %
of non-custodial fathers dont see kid after one year.)
Gordon M: The Family Environment of Sexual Abuse: A Comparison of Natal and Stepfather Abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect
1991;13:121 (Abuse more likely with step-fathers. Also positive developmental effects on child of stepfather less dramatic
than with real father)
Guidubaldi J, Perry JD: Divorce and Mental Health Sequelae for Children: Follow-up of a Nationwide Sample. Journal of
the American Academy of Child Psychiatry 1985;24:531 (Followed 699 kids for six yearsall children had more trouble in school
with aggression and acting out. Most affected were boys in mother custody homes)
Heatherington EM, Furstenberg, FF: Sounding the Alarm. Readings, A Journal of Reviews and Commentary in Mental Health
1989; 6:4
Kalter N: Long-Term Effects of Divorce on Children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 1987;57:587 (Found that most kids
who were OK at first had more serous problems as teenagers, especially the girls who had little father contact and could not
become involved in healthy heterosexual relationships.)
King V:Nonresident Father Involvement and Child Well-Being: Can Dads Make a Difference? Journal of Family Issues 1994;15(1):78.
(national survey shows that the quality if relationship is relatively more important than the frequency of the visits)
Thomas AM, Forehand R: The Role of Paternal Variables in Divorced and Married Families: Predictability of Adolescent Adjustment.
American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 1993;63(1):126 (Relationship of children and their fathers is strong indicator of adolescent
adjustment to divorce)
Wallerstein JS, Kelly JB: Suriviving the Breakup. New York, Basic Books, 1980 (After 10 years common problems for the
1/3 of children who had been doing well and were now functioning poorly were moderate to severe depression, acute unhappiness,
poor learning, intense anger, sexual promiscuity, and delinquent behavior such as drug abuse, alcoholism and stealing. Only
25% of the kids felt they got any help from a family member and only 10% felt they got help outside of the family.)
Warshak RA, The Custody Revolution. New York, Poseidon Press, 1992
STEPFAMILIES
Ahrons C: The Good Divorce. New York, Harper Collins, 1995
Camara K, Resnick G: Interparental Conflict and Cooperation: Factors Moderating Childrens Post-Divorce Adjustment, in
Heatherington EM, Arasteth JD (eds.): Impact of Divorce, Single Parenting, and Stepparenting on Divorce Hillsdale, NJ, Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates, 1988
Gordon M: The Family Environment of Sexual Abuse: A Comparison of Natal and Stepfather Abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect
1991;13:121 (Abuse more likely with step-fathers. Also positive developmental effects on child of stepfather less dramatic
than with real father)
DEMOGRAPHICS
Ahlburg DA, DeVita CJ: New Realities of the American Family. Population Bulletin, 1992; 47(2):15
Bumpass L, Sweet JA: Childrens Experience in Single-Parent Families: Implications of Cohabitation and Marital Transitions.
Family Planning Perspectives 1989;6:256 (lessthan50% of children living with both parents by age of 17)
Clapp G: Divorce & New Beginnings. New York, John Wiley & Sons, 1992. (Recovery (average) for adults is 2-3 years).
Fisher HE: Anatomy of Love. New York, W.W. Norton, 1992 (Across the world the modal divorce is at four years with childbearing
at two years)
Goode WJ: World Changes in Divorce Patterns. New Haven, Yale University Press, 1994. (80% initiated by women. Numbers
quoted also show young children predominate.)
Hofferth S: Updating Childrens Life Course. Journal of Marriage and the Family 1995;47:93. (70% of white children and
90% of black children born in 1980 will spend some time living in a single-parent home before their eighteenth birthday)
National Childrens Survey of The National Center for Health Statistics. Washington D.C., GPO, 1994. (Quoted in Furstenberg
and others to show kids usually in elementary age group or younger. Also showed that most second marriages dissolved by five
yearsagain involving very young kids)
Popenoe D: Life Without Father. New York, The Free press, 1996 (Early marriage as a sure ticket to divorce. More than
50% live apart from fathers)
U.S. Bureau of the Census: Current Population Reports P23-180. GPO, Washington, D.C., 1996. (Total number of kids)
HISTORY OF DIVORCE
Phillips R, Untying the Knot: A Short History of Divorce. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1991
Halem C: Divorce Reform. New York, The Free Press, 1991. (Examines the tender years doctrine and lack of support for mother
functioning successfully as single parent. Cites lack of father involvement with critique of how system makes it difficult
but still finds men to blame.)
Coontz S, The Way We Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap. New York, Basic Books, 1992
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