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Parental Separation (parental + separation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Humanities and Social Sciences42%
Law and Criminology21%
Psychology14%

Selected Abstracts

CHILDREN'S AND PARENTS' PERCEPTIONS ON CHILDREN'S PARTICIPATION IN DECISION MAKING AFTER PARENTAL SEPARATION AND DIVORCE*

FAMILY COURT REVIEW, Issue 1 2008
Judy Cashmore
This article outlines the views of children and parents involved in family law disputes, about the need for and appropriateness of children's participation in decisions regarding residence and contact arrangements. Ninety parents and 47 children (ranging in age from 6 to 18 years) who had been through parental separation, were interviewed. Both parents and children had a range of views about the general appropriateness and fairness of children being involved, but the great majority, particularly of parents, thought that children should have a say in these matters. Core findings of the study include the considerable influence that older children had over the arrangements either in the aftermath of the separation or in making further changes over time, and the higher stated need of children who had experienced violence, abuse, or high levels of conflict to be heard than those in less problematic and noncontested matters. Parents involved in contested proceedings supported the participation of children at a younger age than those who were not. There was a reasonable degree of agreement between parents and children about the need for children to be acknowledged and the value of their views being heard in the decision-making process. Parents, however, expressed concern about the pressure and manipulation that children can face and exert in this process, whereas children were generally more concerned about the fairness of the outcomes, and maintaining their relationships with their parents and siblings. [source]

Parental Separation and Children's Educational Attainment: A Siblings Analysis on Swedish Register Data

ECONOMICA, Issue 292 2006
ANDERS BJÖRKLUND
This paper analyses whether the commonly found negative relationship between parental separation in childhood and educational outcomes is causal or due mainly to selection. We use data on about 100,000 Swedish full biological siblings, born in 1948,63, and perform cross-section and sibling-difference estimations. Outcomes are measured as educational attainment in 1996. Our cross-section analysis shows the expected negative and significant relationship, while the relationship is not significant, though precisely estimated, in the sibling-difference analysis. This finding was robust to the sensitivity tests performed and is consistent with selection, rather than causation, being the explanation for the negative relationship. [source]

Parental Separation and Children's Behavioral/Emotional Problems: The Impact of Parental Representations and Family Conflict

FAMILY PROCESS, Issue 1 2010
STEPHANIE STADELMANN PH.D.
In this longitudinal study, we examine whether the effect of parental separation on kindergarten children's behavioral/emotional problems varies according to the level of family conflict, and children's parental representations. One hundred and eighty seven children were assessed at ages 5 and 6. Family conflict was assessed using parents' ratings. Children's parental representations were assessed using a story-stem task. A multiinformant approach (parent, teacher, child) was employed to assess children's behavioral/emotional problems. Bivariate results showed that separation, family conflict, and negative parental representations were associated with children's behavioral/emotional problems. However, in multivariate analyses, when controlling for gender and symptoms at age 5, we found that children of separated parents who showed negative parental representations had a significantly greater increase in conduct problems between 5 and 6 than all other children. In terms of emotional symptoms and hyperactivity, symptoms at 5 and (for hyperactivity only) gender were the only predictors for symptoms 1 year later. Our results suggest that kindergarten children's representations of parent-child relationships moderate the impact of parental separation on the development of conduct problems, and underline play and narration as a possible route to access the thoughts and feelings of young children faced with parental separation. RESUMEN En este estudio longitudinal analizamos si el efecto de la separación parental sobre los problemas emocionales y conductuales de los niños de primer grado varía según el nivel de conflicto familiar y las representaciones parentales de los niños. Se evaluó a ciento ochenta y siete niños de 5 y 6 años. El conflicto familiar se evaluó utilizando valoraciones de los padres. Las representaciones parentales de los niños se evaluaron mediante una tarea basada en relatos. Se empleó un enfoque multi-informante (padre, maestro, niño) para evaluar los problemas conductuales y emocionales de los niños. Los resultados bivariables demostraron que la separación, el conflicto familiar y las representaciones parentales negativas estuvieron asociadas con problemas conductuales y emocionales en los niños. Sin embargo, en análisis multivariables, cuando se controló el género y los síntomas a los 5 años, descubrimos que los niños de padres separados que demostraron representaciones parentales negativas tuvieron un aumento mucho mayor en problemas de conducta entre los 5 y los 6 años que todos los demás niños. En cuanto a síntomas emocionales e hiperactividad, los síntomas a los 5 años (para hiperactividad solamente) y el género fueron los únicos predictores de síntomas un año después. Nuestros resultados sugieren que las representaciones de los niños de primer grado de las relaciones entre padres y niños moderan el impacto que tiene la separación parental sobre el desarrollo de problemas de conducta. Además, subrayan el juego y la narración como un posible camino para acceder a los pensamientos y sentimientos de los niños que enfrentan la separación de sus padres. Palabras clave: niños de primer grado; separación parental; representaciones parentales; conflicto familiar; problemas conductuales y emocionales [source]

Timing of Parental Separation and Attachment to Parents in Adolescence: Results of a Prospective Study from Birth to Age 16

JOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, Issue 1 2000
Lianne Woodward
Using prospective longitudinal data from the Christchurch Health and Development Study (CHDS), this paper examines the effects of parental separation on the quality of adolescents' attachment to parents and their perceptions of parental care and overprotection during childhood. Exposure to parental separation was significantly associated with lower attachment to parents in adolescence and more negative perceptions of maternal and paternal care and protection during childhood. When examined in relation to the developmental timing of first separation, a linear relationship between the age at first separation and later parental attachment and perceived parent,child relations was found. The younger the age of the child at the time of separation, the lower their subsequent parental attachment and the more likely they were to perceive both their mother and father as less caring and more overprotective. No gender differences were found in children's responses to parental separation. These findings persisted after control for the confounding effects of family social background, marital conflict, parenting, child behavior, and remarriage. Results supported the importance of the early childhood years for the development of a secure and enduring attachment relationship between children and their parents. [source]

The ,Best Interests of the Child' and Parental Separation: on the ,Civilizing of Parents'

THE MODERN LAW REVIEW, Issue 1 2005
Robert Van Krieken
The concept of the ,best interests of the child' is both pivotal in family law and yet essentially contested. This paper reflects on the concept's position within a number of longer-term histories , of the jurisprudence surrounding child custody, of the social construction of childhood, and of the emotional constitution of family life more broadly. The turn to a co-parenting model from the 1970s onwards and the rise of the concept of the ,civilized divorce' is analysed by drawing on Norbert Elias's analysis of ,processes of civilization' in Western social life. The paper argues that the post-separation co-parenting model is only partially explained as the outcome of political manoeuvring by particular social and professional groups; it should also be understood as part of longer-term trends in family life, emotional management, and the socio-legal construction of childhood, as part of the on-going ,civilizing of parents'. [source]

Influence of parental deprivation on the behavioral development in Octodon degus: Modulation by maternal vocalizations

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2003
Katharina Braun
Abstract Repeated separation from the family during very early stages of life is a stressful emotional experience which induces a variety of neuronal and synaptic changes in limbic cortical areas that may be related to behavioral alterations. First, we investigated whether repeated parental separation and handling, without separation from the family, leads to altered spontaneous exploratory behavior in a novel environment (open field test) in 8-day-old Octodon degus. Second, we tested whether the parentally deprived and handled animals display different stimulus-evoked exploratory behaviors in a modified open field version, in which a positive emotional stimulus, the maternal call, was presented. In the open field test a significant influence of previous emotional experience was found for the parameters of running, rearing, and vocalization. Parentally deprived degus displayed increased horizontal (running) and vertical (rearing) motoric activities, but decreased vocalization, compared to normal and handled controls. The presentation of maternal vocalizations significantly modified running, vocalization, and grooming activities, which in the case of running activity was dependent on previous emotional experience. Both deprivation-induced locomotor hyperactivity together with the reduced behavioral response towards a familiar acoustic emotional signal are similar to behavioral disturbances observed in human attachment disorders. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 42: 237,245, 2003. [source]

Parental Separation and Children's Educational Attainment: A Siblings Analysis on Swedish Register Data

ECONOMICA, Issue 292 2006
ANDERS BJÖRKLUND
This paper analyses whether the commonly found negative relationship between parental separation in childhood and educational outcomes is causal or due mainly to selection. We use data on about 100,000 Swedish full biological siblings, born in 1948,63, and perform cross-section and sibling-difference estimations. Outcomes are measured as educational attainment in 1996. Our cross-section analysis shows the expected negative and significant relationship, while the relationship is not significant, though precisely estimated, in the sibling-difference analysis. This finding was robust to the sensitivity tests performed and is consistent with selection, rather than causation, being the explanation for the negative relationship. [source]

CHILDREN'S AND PARENTS' PERCEPTIONS ON CHILDREN'S PARTICIPATION IN DECISION MAKING AFTER PARENTAL SEPARATION AND DIVORCE*

FAMILY COURT REVIEW, Issue 1 2008
Judy Cashmore
This article outlines the views of children and parents involved in family law disputes, about the need for and appropriateness of children's participation in decisions regarding residence and contact arrangements. Ninety parents and 47 children (ranging in age from 6 to 18 years) who had been through parental separation, were interviewed. Both parents and children had a range of views about the general appropriateness and fairness of children being involved, but the great majority, particularly of parents, thought that children should have a say in these matters. Core findings of the study include the considerable influence that older children had over the arrangements either in the aftermath of the separation or in making further changes over time, and the higher stated need of children who had experienced violence, abuse, or high levels of conflict to be heard than those in less problematic and noncontested matters. Parents involved in contested proceedings supported the participation of children at a younger age than those who were not. There was a reasonable degree of agreement between parents and children about the need for children to be acknowledged and the value of their views being heard in the decision-making process. Parents, however, expressed concern about the pressure and manipulation that children can face and exert in this process, whereas children were generally more concerned about the fairness of the outcomes, and maintaining their relationships with their parents and siblings. [source]

Parental Separation and Children's Behavioral/Emotional Problems: The Impact of Parental Representations and Family Conflict

FAMILY PROCESS, Issue 1 2010
STEPHANIE STADELMANN PH.D.
In this longitudinal study, we examine whether the effect of parental separation on kindergarten children's behavioral/emotional problems varies according to the level of family conflict, and children's parental representations. One hundred and eighty seven children were assessed at ages 5 and 6. Family conflict was assessed using parents' ratings. Children's parental representations were assessed using a story-stem task. A multiinformant approach (parent, teacher, child) was employed to assess children's behavioral/emotional problems. Bivariate results showed that separation, family conflict, and negative parental representations were associated with children's behavioral/emotional problems. However, in multivariate analyses, when controlling for gender and symptoms at age 5, we found that children of separated parents who showed negative parental representations had a significantly greater increase in conduct problems between 5 and 6 than all other children. In terms of emotional symptoms and hyperactivity, symptoms at 5 and (for hyperactivity only) gender were the only predictors for symptoms 1 year later. Our results suggest that kindergarten children's representations of parent-child relationships moderate the impact of parental separation on the development of conduct problems, and underline play and narration as a possible route to access the thoughts and feelings of young children faced with parental separation. RESUMEN En este estudio longitudinal analizamos si el efecto de la separación parental sobre los problemas emocionales y conductuales de los niños de primer grado varía según el nivel de conflicto familiar y las representaciones parentales de los niños. Se evaluó a ciento ochenta y siete niños de 5 y 6 años. El conflicto familiar se evaluó utilizando valoraciones de los padres. Las representaciones parentales de los niños se evaluaron mediante una tarea basada en relatos. Se empleó un enfoque multi-informante (padre, maestro, niño) para evaluar los problemas conductuales y emocionales de los niños. Los resultados bivariables demostraron que la separación, el conflicto familiar y las representaciones parentales negativas estuvieron asociadas con problemas conductuales y emocionales en los niños. Sin embargo, en análisis multivariables, cuando se controló el género y los síntomas a los 5 años, descubrimos que los niños de padres separados que demostraron representaciones parentales negativas tuvieron un aumento mucho mayor en problemas de conducta entre los 5 y los 6 años que todos los demás niños. En cuanto a síntomas emocionales e hiperactividad, los síntomas a los 5 años (para hiperactividad solamente) y el género fueron los únicos predictores de síntomas un año después. Nuestros resultados sugieren que las representaciones de los niños de primer grado de las relaciones entre padres y niños moderan el impacto que tiene la separación parental sobre el desarrollo de problemas de conducta. Además, subrayan el juego y la narración como un posible camino para acceder a los pensamientos y sentimientos de los niños que enfrentan la separación de sus padres. Palabras clave: niños de primer grado; separación parental; representaciones parentales; conflicto familiar; problemas conductuales y emocionales [source]

Timing of Parental Separation and Attachment to Parents in Adolescence: Results of a Prospective Study from Birth to Age 16

JOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, Issue 1 2000
Lianne Woodward
Using prospective longitudinal data from the Christchurch Health and Development Study (CHDS), this paper examines the effects of parental separation on the quality of adolescents' attachment to parents and their perceptions of parental care and overprotection during childhood. Exposure to parental separation was significantly associated with lower attachment to parents in adolescence and more negative perceptions of maternal and paternal care and protection during childhood. When examined in relation to the developmental timing of first separation, a linear relationship between the age at first separation and later parental attachment and perceived parent,child relations was found. The younger the age of the child at the time of separation, the lower their subsequent parental attachment and the more likely they were to perceive both their mother and father as less caring and more overprotective. No gender differences were found in children's responses to parental separation. These findings persisted after control for the confounding effects of family social background, marital conflict, parenting, child behavior, and remarriage. Results supported the importance of the early childhood years for the development of a secure and enduring attachment relationship between children and their parents. [source]

Marriage or cohabitation: a competing risks analysis of first-partnership formation among the 1958 British birth cohort

JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL STATISTICAL SOCIETY: SERIES A (STATISTICS IN SOCIETY), Issue 2 2000
Ann Berrington
A discrete time competing risks hazards model is used to analyse entry into first partnership among men and women born in Britain in 1958. Using a life-course approach we identify family background and current life experiences which affect the timing and type of first-partnership formation. Education is a key factor influencing the age of entry into first partnership and whether or not the respondent will experience pregnancy before forming the partnership. Religiosity, experience of parental separation and the geographical region of residence are more important in affecting the decision to cohabit rather than to marry directly. The analyses highlight the importance of transitions in other domains such as leaving the parental home in encouraging cohabitation. [source]

Sibling relationships in adolescence: Learning and growing together

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, Issue 1 2005
Patricia Noller
In this article, I discuss the reasons for my interest in sibling relationships, and showcase studies on sibling relationships in adolescence carried out with my colleagues and students, in the context of the broader literature on sibling relationships. Our studies have focused on a number of important issues concerned with sibling relationships. First, I report on the associations between sibling relationships and other family relationships and the ways that the various family relationships affect each other. Second, I report a study of sibling relationships in the context of parental separation and divorce and show that sibling relationships in these families are more likely to be high in both warmth and hostility than is true for relationships in 2-parent families. Third, I report on several data sets showing an association between the quality of sibling relationships and adolescent adjustment and the link between differential parenting, adolescent adjustment, and the quality of the sibling relationship. Fourth, I report on a study of comparison and competition in sibling relationships and the associations between sibling relationship quality and reactions to being outperformed by a sibling. Finally, I discuss possible future directions for research on sibling relationships, including the importance of multimethod studies and a longitudinal perspective. [source]

Shifting Childrearing to Single Mothers: Results from 17 Western Countries

POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW, Issue 1 2003
Patrick Heuveline
We investigate how recent changes in the Western family have affected childhood living arrangements. For 17 developed countries, we use multistate life table techniques to estimate childhood trajectories of coresi-dence with biological fathers versus other maternal partners. In all countries childhood exposure to single parenting is more often caused by parental separation than out-of-partnership childbearing. Both exposure to single parenting and expectancy of childhood spent with a single non-cohabiting mother vary widely across countries, with the United States exhibiting the highest levels of each at early 1990s rates. The greatest international variations concern parental cohabitation,its prevalence, durability, and the degree to which its increase has compensated for a decrease in the expectancy of childhood spent with married parents. Overall, we find little evidence of international convergence in childrearing arrangements, except that in countries where parental marriage has declined over time, childrearing has predominantly shifted to single mothers. [source]

Annotation: Children's relationships with their nonresident fathers

THE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 4 2004
Judy Dunn
Background:, The frequency of parental separation means that increasing numbers of children have fathers who live in different households from mother-and-child; the significance of contact and relationships between children and their nonresident fathers for children's adjustment is receiving growing attention. Lessons from this research are considered. Methods:, Recent meta-analyses and overviews of research, and key research projects, are discussed. Findings related to contact and relationship quality are the main focus of the annotation. Results:, Economic support from nonresident fathers is related to children's well-being, and continues to be a key factor. Findings on contact are more mixed, especially from early studies; the effect size of associations between contact and positive child outcome has increased in recent research. Quality of child,father relationships is consistently related to adjustment outcome. Authoritative parenting, involvement and feelings of closeness are of particular importance in relation to adjustment, and these links are related to the quality of mother,nonresident father relations, and the mother,child relationship. Age differences, patterns over time, and gender are discussed; the perspectives of fathers and the problems they face in maintaining authoritative relationships are considered. Conclusions:, The significance of child,nonresident father relationships for children's and fathers' well-being is clear and merits further research; fruitful new directions for such research, within the framework of other family relationships, are outlined. [source]