Lecture Notes for Apr 21, 2009

Week 15 Review How many months of income should be saved for emergency? 3 to 6 months. Insolvent - unable to meet debt. Liquid assests - money that is readily available. Divorce Increased due to: Wars, No-Fault Divorce law created in the 1970's, Changing roles for women - more education, more economic freedom, Economic prosperity brings more autonomy, More tolerant attitudes toward divorce. Causes: Infidelity, Incompatibility, Alcohol and Drug Use, Growing Apart. Poor communication, Power struggles, unrealistic expectations, sexual relationship problems, decision making. The most recent data indicated the divorce rate is stabilizing. Poor communication is often reported as a problem of unhappy couples. Personality compatibility and Inability to resolve conflict. The average length of first marriages that end in divorce is 7 years. People do remarry but 60% of second marriages end in divorce. Six Stations of Adjustmen to Divorce Emotional divorce, Legal divorce, Economic divorce, Coparental divorce, Community divorce, Psychological divorce. Emotional Divorce Questioning the relationship. Withdraw emotionally. Loss of mutual respect, trust, and affection. Anger and pain. Actual steps to divorce reviewed; as one may not want divorce yet. Legal Divorce Officially end the marriage and gives former partners right to remarry. Approaches: Attorney- Adversarial, Divorce Mediation. Economic Divorce Involves the settlement of property. Assets & Liabilities. Downward economic impact for both. Feminization of Poverty. Coparental Divorce Co-parenting Plan Established Considering: Custody, Visitation Schedule, Financial Responsibilities, Legal Responsibilities. Community Divorce Divorce shocks beyond nuclear family. Involves changing social relationships. Potential loss of relatives and social network. Psychological Divorce Involves redefining the self. No longer a part of a couple. Many go through a mourning process. May involve questioning the direction desired in relationships. Impacts of Divorce on Children All children suffer emotionally from parental divorce and/or separation. Conflict between parents rather than separation may explain childhood problems. Low conflict marriages that ended in divorce had a more negative impact on adult children's development than did high-conflict marriages that ended in divorce. Boys are more susceptible to disruption caused by divorce and may rebel against their mother. However, girls tend to display their behavior by becoming withdrawn, anxious or well-behaved and may act out in later adolescence when forming their own intimate relationships. Display more androgynous behavior, broader skills and competencies, internal locus of control. Increased feelings of efficacy and competency, a warm relationship with at least one parent can alleviate the negative effects, divorce tends to be hardest on kids between the ages of 7 and 13. Although the first year is very difficult, 75%-80% of children report doing well six years after the divorce. Children from divorced parents have the highest rate of cohabitation. Characteristics of Single Parent Families Majority are formed by divorce. 32% of all households are headed by single parents. 64% of African American households are headed by a single parent. Most likely to be headed by a female. Reduced income/financial stressors - feminization of poverty. Need for support system and social network. Binuclear families: Establishment of two households that continue to interrelate. Family reorganization rather than family disintegration. Acknowledges the positive outcomes. Sole, joint, and split custody. Tasks: Open channels of communication and express emotions appropriately. Establish a stable family structure and maintain authority. Establish a personal social life and maintain friendships and supports. Assure children they are loved, cared for and protected. Assure children they did not cause the death or divorce. Assure children they will survive and heal. Stepfamilies 75-80% of men and women who divorce will remarry. Higher divorce rate for second marriages (60%). Stepfamilies may become the most predominant family form of the future. Differing degrees of complexity depending on each situation. Past loss of family relationships impacts on new relationships. Devided loyalties and complex interactions. Differing expectations/fantasies and ambiguous boundaries. Lack or role models and norms, complex decision-making tasks. Finances, discipline/limit setting. Lack of evolving parenting skills and stepparent-child relationships.