PSYC 3560H Chapter Notes - Chapter 15: Judith Wallerstein, Longitudinal Study
19 Aug 2018
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Protective factors for children as they adjust to divorce include qualities of the child, supportive aspects of the family system, and external social supports: their age, sex, and intelligence serve as protection. Younger children seem less affected at the time or divorce or remarriage. Late adolescents however seem less affected than younger children because they are becoming more independent. Boys suffer more at divorce, girls suffer more at the mother remarriage. The child"s temperament also affect the process of divorce. Grandparents can support grandchildren with time, attention, and special outings and privileges that help ease the pain of divorce. School is also a major source of support. A longitudinal study following families with four- to seven-year-old children and observing qualities of divorced families before and after the divorce finds that children of divorce have problems years before the divorce. After the divorce, their aggressive, rule- breaking behaviors decrease, but anxious/depressed moods increase further.
