1. Chapter 14 Divorce and Remarriage

2. Macro Factors Contributing to Divorce
Divorce: the termination of a valid marriage contract
Divorce occurs more frequently today than in the earlier days of the U.S. due to various structural and cultural factors.

3. Macro Factors Changing family functions and structure
Liberal divorce laws
No-fault divorce: a divorce in which neither party is identified as the guilty party or the cause of the divorce
Prenuptial agreements
Fewer moral and religious sanctions
It is debatable whether or not no-fault divorce actually causes divorce.

4. Macro Factors More divorce models Mobility and anonymity
Social class, ethnicity, and culture
Educated white Americans are the least likely to divorce
Discussion: How many divorces are socially acceptable for one individual?

5. Micro Factors Contributing to Divorce
Micro factors are individual factors that are predictive of divorce.
More likely to be seen as the cause of the divorce

6. Micro Factors Falling out of love Not spending enough time together
Decreasing positive behaviors: compliments, physical affection
Having an affair
Poor conflict resolution skills
Changing values

7. Micro Factors
Satiation: habituation, the state in which a stimulus loses its value with repeated exposure
Believing life will be better if divorced

8. Ending Relationship
Psychological functioning and happiness of spouses going through a divorce improve after the divorce.
Data are mixed on whether remaining unhappily married or getting divorced and remarried has a more positive outcome for the spouses.
Discussion: What might be the positive outcomes of staying in an unhappy marriage?

9. Gender Differences in Filing for Divorce
Women are the first to seek help when there is trouble in the relationship.
Women are likely to feel a renewed sense of self-identity.
Men are concerned about separation from their children.

10. Consequences for Spouses Who Divorce
The spouse who did not instigate the divorce is more vulnerable to depression.
Women fare better emotionally after a divorce.
Men are likely to date and remarry sooner.
Relationships with extended family change.
Spouses recover sooner if they find new interests.

11. Consequences Both women and men experience a drop in income.
Women tend to suffer more financially.
Over half of custodial mothers are awarded child support but most find the amount inadequate.

12. Consequences
Divorced mothers serve as gatekeepers for the relationship children have with the father.
A father’s relationship with a daughter is usually more damaged than his relationship with a son.
Shared parenting dysfunction: refers to the set of behaviors on the part of each parent that are focused on hurting the other spouse
Discussion: What kinds of behaviors would lead to shared parenting dysfunction?

13. Consequences
Parental alienation syndrome: a disturbance in which children are obsessively preoccupied with deprecation or criticism of a parent
Parental alienation: an alliance between a parent and a child that isolates the other parent

14. Effects of Divorce on Children
Benefits of divorce for children
Better than living in high-conflict home
Learn resilience
Receive more attention
Negative outcomes of divorce for children
Less marital satisfaction
Poorer communication skills
Poorer parent-child relationships

15. Effects on Children
The primary factor that determines the effect of divorce on children is the degree to which the divorcing parents are civil or adversarial.
Legal and physical custody arrangements are also important.

16. Effects on Children
Legal custody: decisional authority over major issues involving the child
Physical custody: visitation, distribution of parenting time following divorce
Judges in all states are bound by the “best interests of the child.”
Discussion: What are the best interests of the child?

17. Prerequisites for Having a Successful Divorce
Mediate rather than litigate the divorce.
Divorce mediation: process in which divorcing parties make agreements with a third party about custody, visitation, child support, and property.
Coparent with your ex-spouse.
Take some responsibility for the divorce.
Learn from the divorce.
Create positive thoughts.
Avoid alcohol and other drugs.
Relax and exercise.

18. Successful Divorce Let go of anger and have fun.
Continue interpersonal connections.
Allow time to heal.
Divorcing spouses also lose their in-laws. In some cases these are close relationships.

19. Successful Divorce Psychological stages of divorce Denial Depression
Anger or ambivalence
New lifestyle and identity
Acceptance and integration
Discussion: What are the similarities and differences between a death and a divorce?

20. Stepfamilies
Blended family: a family in which new spouses have children from previous relationships
Binuclear family: a family that spans two households
Stepfamily: a family in which partners bring children from previous relationships into the new home
Stepfamily is currently the preferred term.

21. Stepfamilies Unique aspects of stepfamilies:
Children are biologically related to only one parent.
Stepfamily members have experienced loss.
Stepfamily members are connected to others outside their family unit.
Children may have two homes.
Stepfamilies have reduced disposable income.

22. Stepfamilies Unique aspects of stepfamilies
Step families are stigmatized by stepism: the assumption that stepfamilies are inferior.
Married couples begin their marriage with children in the home.
The law usually recognizes children of the first family.