Divorce, Separation, and New Family Forms

divorce

the legal dissolution of a marriage by a court or other competent body

better if completely checked out of marriage

separation

the physical or emotional distancing of partners without formal legal divorce

can involve formal arrangements or legal agreements regarding custody, finances, and living situations

better alternative since divorce is expensive or if someone is trying to repair the relationship

new family forms

families that differ from the “traditional” nuclear family structure

single-parent families

one parent raising children independently

blended families

a family unit formed when parents remarry and bring children from previous relationships into the household

co-parenting

the collaborative effort of parents to raise their child(ren) after separation or divorce

reasons why people get divorced

can be due to abuse, falling out of love, affair, different political views, substance abuse/addiction, different goals in life, etc

infants

react to changes in routine, may exhibit irritability or sleep disturbances

toddlers

increase separation anxiety; possible developmental regression

preschoolers

difficulty understanding permanence; self-blame may emerge

school-aged children

mood changes, academic decline, fantasies of parental reunion

adolescents

risk of delinquent behavior, substance abuse, or withdrawal; potential for suicidal ideation

routine

child development is all about _____, and when parents divorce, it throws it off and child may feel like they cannot control things

schooling

what goes on at home can impact…

mothers

after divorce, _____ are more likely to feel stressed and humiliated, to use alcohol, and to seek mental health services

their problems can persist for prolonged periods after divorce (more likely to face poverty → impacting children’s well-being)

fathers

after divorce, ______ often feel alienated, seem less accepting of their children, and may become more depressed and anxious and abuse substances

grandparents

after divorce, ______ can also be impacted, feeling a decreased quality of relationship with their grandchildren, especially in relation to custody arrangements that favor their ex-son-in-law or ex-daughter-in-law

important considerations in modifying factors in children’s adjustment

consistency: importance of parental support and consistency

frequency: negative effects of frequent relocations or prolonged legal disputes

cooperation: positive outcomes linked to paternal involvement and effective co-parenting

new family forms

single parent households, blended families (stepfamilies), variations in kinship care and more

challenges faced by new family forms

navigating new roles and relationships

balancing emotional needs of all members

potential benefits of new family forms

expanded support networks

opportunities for personal growth

role of professionals

carefully consider the child’s physical and emotional needs and communicating this to parents, listening to each parent’s perspective

propose consulting a marriage/divorce counselor to develop strategies to help the child through the process

provide unbiased, empirical/research-based services

maintain a positive, neutral relationship with both parents after a divorce, and serve as the child’s advocate

age circumstances

divorce impacts children differently depending on ____ and _______

co-parenting

parental behavior and __________ are critical in mitigating negative effects

challenges opportunities

new family forms present both _____ and _______ for growth