Divorce and Remarriage

1 – Start by showing divorce rates over time. Ask students to explain the trend.

- Show “Factors Associated with Divorce” table on p. 410 of Public and Private Families text (4th edition) – ch. 12 Divorce

Reading 16 Divorce: The “Silent Revolution” Friedman

2 – Before the 1950s, divorce was hard to get but did it happen? Yes. How?

3 – What is the “silent revolution?” Why does Herbert Jacob refer to it as such? P. 206

4 – Why can “no fault” divorce emerge so successfully? P. 207 top and middle

5 – What is “no fault” divorce? – p. 207

6 – What does this mean for marriage and divorce?

- I might argue that it makes the individual factors for divorce even more significant - Show the individual factors listed in table on 410 of Public and Private Families text

Reading 17 Children’s Adjustment Following Divorce: Risk and Resilience Perspectives Kelly and Emery

1 – What is the impact of divorce on children? a. Short term 1. Stressors of the process . Stress of initial separation – p. 212 . Parental Conflict – p. 213 . Diminished Parenting after Divorce – p. 214 . Loss of Important Relationships – p. 215  Fathers  Moving . Reduction of Economic Opportunities . Remarriage and Re-partnering

2. Protective Factors to reduce the risk to children of divorce . Competent Custodial Parents and Parenting . Nonresident Parents – joint custody . Diminished Conflict between Parents Following Divorce b. Long-term 1. Are there long-term effects of divorce on children? . The majority of children whose parents divorced are not distinguishable from their peers whose parents remained married in the longer term – p. 222 . 75-80% of children and young adults do not suffer from major psychological problems, including depression; have achieved their education and career goals; and retain close ties to their families. They enjoy intimate relationships, have not divorced, and do not appear to be scarred with immutable negative effects from divorce – p. 222 . Amato (1999) estimated that approximately 42% of young adults from divorced families in his study had well-being scores above the average of young adults from non-divorced families. . Longer-term outcomes are dependent upon many circumstances: adjustment prior to separation, the quality of parenting they received before and after the divorce, the amount of conflict and violence between parents that they experienced during marriage and after divorce

2. Some studies suggest that there’s high negative impact of divorce on children. Why? What are Kelly and Emery’s critique of such research? – p. 223-224 - studies done on clinical groups – people who sought out professional help after divorce - painful memories do not mean long-term damage

2 – What impact might this divorce research have on policy or intervention programs? Is it influencing the operation of A Center for Grieving Children, for example? Is it influencing the way that your service site delivers services to its clients? If so, how? - p. 227

Reading 18 The Modern American Stepfamily: Problems and Possibilities Mason

1 – What do we know about step-families? a. contact with fathers – p. 235 b. Size – p. 235 c. parenting – p. 236 d. age of children at time of remarriage matters – p. 236 e. divorce in step-families – at 25% of the time within 5 years of remarriage – p. 237 f. not much difference in child well-being in step and biological families – p. 237 g. remarriage and formation of step-families helps to increase the income of single-moms more than three-fold – p. 237 h. most “successful” step-parent scenario – p. 238

2 – How does family law apply to step-families? – p. 239 – 242 . Two competing models o “Stranger” model – p. 239 - 240 o “Dependency” model – p. 241-242 o These models are functioning at two levels: . State often times operates with the “stranger” model . Federal policies are often operating under the “dependent” model . State Policies vs. Federal Policies o State law governs the traditional family matters of marriage, divorce, adoption and inheritance o Federal law covers a wide range of programs and policies that touch on providing support and benefits to families, including step-families: . TANF – Temporary Aid to Families in Need . Social Security . Employee benefit policies for armed forces – impacts lots of families

3 – What policy proposals are on the table? . Negativist – p. 243 – consistent with conservative perspective – make it harder to get married . Voluntarist - p. 243 – promotes voluntary adoption of step-children . Reformist – 244 o Mason’s proposal – defacto parenting model – a multiple parenting model to give step-parents more rights and responsibilities

So, our policies, laws, social institutions aren’t quite keeping up with our new family forms, eh? Which perspective makes this critique, conservative, liberal or feminist?

Go to pilot episode of Modern Family Show off of HULU