Divorce, Single Parenting and Remarriage I.Recent Social Changes which Facilitate Divorce A.Laws 1.Change from fault necessary to no-fault B.Cultural values 1.Rise of Emphasis on Individuality 2.Acceptance of Divorce C.Gender Roles 1.Similarity of Roles When both men and women are responsible for breadwinning and caretaking of the home, it creates more opportunities for conflict; less marital cohesion 2.Womens Increased Labor Force Participation 3.Womens Economic Independence Women didnt HAVE to stay married because they could now afford to support themselves II.Individual and Relational Factors Related to Divorce If one member of a couple or the couple together experience these, they have a higher likelihood of getting a divorce A.Parental Divorce B.Cohabitation Prior to Marriage C.Age at Marriage The younger you are, the higher risk for divorce there is. It is the strongest predictor of divorce in the 1st 5 years of marriage D.Premarital Childbearing E.Race African-Americans more likely to divorce F.Blended Families Remarriages/Stepfamilies G.Marital Unhappiness Seems obvious, but those happily married usually dont divorce, so staying happy usually avoids divorce

III.Impact of Divorce A.On Marital Partners 1.Health a)High levels of stress lead to psychosomatic illnesses (1)Ulcers (2)Insomnia (3)Hypertension (4)Substance abuse 2.Economics a)Usually a decreased standard of living for women b)Usually an increased or unchanged standard of living for men c)Due to a lack of child support payments in the 1980s d)We now have federally mandated support payments e)Many non-custodial parents (usually fathers) are able to pay 50% more than they are mandated to pay 3.Adjustment Process a)Letting go of a once-loved partner b)Figuring out how to co-parent in separate households c)Dealing with family, friends, co-workers d)Accepting self as single person, dating, etc.

B.On Children 1.Personal Adjustment a)After the initial trauma, most children are surprisingly welladjusted. May be due to children being more resilient than adults. b)Initial trauma is defined as the period lasting approximately 2 years after one parent moves out c)After the initial trauma, few differences exist between children of divorce and their counterparts from non-divorced families d)Children of divorce are actually more androgynous, mature, feelings of efficacy e)Post-divorce difficulties are usually more related to parental conflict than household structure 2.Cognitive Functioning a)During initial trauma, school achievement can drop b)Any decrease occurs initially, and then disappears c)If decease remains, it is more related to economics

3.Interpersonal Relationships a)During initial trauma, they are less sociable, fewer friends b)After the initial trauma, most differences disappear c)For teens, early intercourse is common during the initial trauma 4.Antisocial Behavior a)Delinquent activity, substance abuse b)More related to the family conflict and lack of parental control than the divorce itself c)Kids in families with persistent conflict have high levels of antisocial behavior, even when they are in two-parent families IV.Single Parenting A.Who is the single parent? Women B.Negative Consequences Depend on: 1.Economics a)42% of children living with their mother only live in poverty compared to 19% of children living with their father only and 9% of children living with both parents b)If parents have money, consequences are reduced c)If parents dont have money, negative consequences increase

2.Time spent with parent a)If kids spend quality time with parents, consequences are reduced b)If kids arent able to spend quality time with parents, negative consequences increase 3.Level of Stress a)If parents have low stress, consequences are reduced b)If parents have high stress, negative consequences increase V.Remarriage and Stepfamilies A.Demographics 1.75-80% of those who divorce remarry 2.More likely for younger 3.More likely for men B.Remarriage 1.Stability a)Slightly less stable b)More complex c)See divorce as a solution to an unsatisfying relationship 2.Marital Satisfaction few differences between satisfaction in first marriages and remarriages 3.Personal Well-being a)More mature b)More realistic c)More role flexibility