Divorce and Predictors of Child Outcomes: The Impact of Divorce Education, Parenting, Coparenting, and Adult Quality of Life
Authors
- Emily H. Becher, Extension Center for Family Development, University of Minnesota
- Sunghun Lim, Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics, Texas Tech University
- Jenifer K. McGuire, Family Social Science, University of Minnesota
- Sharon Powell, Extension Center for Family Development, University of Minnesota
- Ellie M. McCann, Extension Center for Family Development, University of Minnesota
- Sarah E. Cronin, Department of Psychology, Bemidji State University
- Veronica Deenanath, Minnesota Office of Higher Education
Abstract
This article describes a quasi-experimental design study comparing a sample of divorcing parents who attended a divorce education program to a sample of divorcing parents who did not attend a divorce education program. The data were analyzed using four child outcomes (emotional symptoms, conduct problems, peer problems, prosocial behaviors), with several predictors. Results indicated that divorce education was significantly correlated with improved child outcomes related to prosocial behavior; however, across models, positive parenting was the most common significant predictor. Implications of this study point to specific content areas that divorce education programs can focus on to improve outcomes for families, particularly around positive parenting.
