Stress & Divorce
• Diathesis-Stress Model
– Diathesis = predisposing vulnerabilities
– Stress = environmental factors/stessors that
can contribute to the development of a
disorder
Diathesis stress heuristic
• Heuristic = aid to learning
• 100 units to become schizophrenic
• Units come from 2 sources
– Individual (diathesis)
– environment
Heuristic cont’
• stressors can have cumulative effect
• Stressors in childhood are often grouped
together
• Implies that anyone may develop a
disorder
Genetic Studies
• Twin studies
• “Double-whammy” effect
• Adopted children
Childhood stressors
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Mandatory school attendance
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Required for all children
Majority of referrals
Age 6 peak for referrals
What makes school a stressor?
Implications
1. Child referrals often involve schoolrelated difficulties
2. Child interventions may need to take
place in school
3. Clinicians may need to mediate
4. School environments are not the same
5. Need to know about legislation
Marital conflict and divorce
• Possible stresses associated with divorce:
Problems assoc. with divorce
1. Increases in aggressive and
noncompliant behavior (boys)
2. Girls – findings less clear. May have
delayed problems
3. Gender differences – WHY?
4. Marital conflict is key, not just parental
separation
Developmental status & divorce
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Preschoolers
Early school age
Older school age
Adolescents
remarriage
Child characteristics that may
impact adjustment
1. Temperament
2. Marital precursors
Block et al. study
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Longitudinal study
Assessed kids at ages 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 14
Interviewed mothers
Collected measures from teachers
Compared divorced and intact families at age 14
Cause & effect???
Cause & Effect
• Recent Gottman study
– Babies & marital conflict
– Possible hypotheses
Hetherington et al. (1988)
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What factors make a difference in
divorce/marital transitions and child
adjustment?
1. Individual risk & vulnerability
– Child characteristics
– Adult characteristics
2. Family composition
3. Parental stress and strain
4. Family process
What to say to children
• Set aside time to meet as family, tell
together to reduce blame.
• Tell child it is not their fault.
• Tell child it is final (avoid false hopes)
• Provide reassurance
– Basic needs
– Continuing relationship with both parents,
siblings, etc.
How to help children through
divorce
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Both parents stay involved
Stop fighting; get along
Support time with each parent
Communicate directly between parents
Say nice things about other parent
Self-care/address own mental health
issues
Tasks for children of divorce
1. Acknowledge marital disruption
2. Regain sense of direction and freedom to
maintain routine
3. Deal with loss and feelings of rejection
4. Forgive parents, work through anger
5. Accept permanence of divorce
6. Resolve relationship issues