Renegotiating Family Dynamics as Relationships End: Protecting Children's and Adults' Well-Being

Concurrent Sessions 7

Raymond Petren, Melissa Labuda, Michael Anthony, Jonathon Beckmeyer, Samantha Krejnik, Jasmin McCray, Melinda Markham, Jessica Troilo, Hilary Dalton, Renee Wilkins-Clark, Anthony Ferraro, McKenzie Cox, Kayla Reed-Fitzke, Judith Myers-Walls, Anthony Ferraro, Tyler Jamison, Jonathon Beckmeyer

Facilitator: Fiorella Carlos Chavez

3:00 PM
4:15 PM
Location
Royal Palm 2
Session #
239
Session Type
Paper Session
Session Focus
  • Research
Organized By
  • Education & Enrichment

About the Session

  • 239-01 - “I Want to Make Sure I’m Doing What it Takes”: Parental Role Changes Following Separation
    By Raymond Petren, Melissa Labuda, Michael Anthony
  • 239-02 - Former Spousal Relationships and Children’s Post-Divorce Well-Being
    By Jonathon Beckmeyer, Samantha Krejnik, Jasmin McCray, Melinda Markham, Jessica Troilo
  • 239-03 - Effects of Infidelity on Well-Being Following Divorce: Vulnerabilities for Emerging Adult Parents
    By Hilary Dalton, Renee Wilkins-Clark, Anthony Ferraro, McKenzie Cox, Kayla Reed-Fitzke
  • 239-04 - Looking Toward the Future: A Mixed-Methods Assessment of Online Divorce Education
    By Judith Myers-Walls, Anthony Ferraro
  • 239-05 - Ending Relationships During Emerging Adulthood: Connections to School, Work, and Personal Growth
    By Tyler Jamison, Jonathon Beckmeyer

Abstract(s)

“I Want to Make Sure I’m Doing What it Takes”: Parental Role Changes Following Separation

By Raymond Petren, Melissa Labuda, Michael Anthony

We used a grounded theory approach to depict parental role changes following separation.  Three groups of parents were identified: outsiders, new to the primary parenting role, and continuing as primary parent.  Parental role changes primarily resulted from practical responses to child needs in the context of separation.  While constructing post-separation roles, parents perceived a new sense of responsibility to their children and put child needs first while facing uncertainty and negotiating needs for connectedness.  The extent and nature of parental role changes varied by parent group, as did the implications for wellbeing and family functioning.

Objectives

The current study uses grounded theory methodology to describe:Parents’ perceptions of role changes following separationConditions that are related to changes in parental rolesThe influence of role changes on parents’ perceptions of individual wellbeing and family functioning

Former Spousal Relationships and Children’s Post-Divorce Well-Being

By Jonathon Beckmeyer, Samantha Krejnik, Jasmin McCray, Melinda Markham, Jessica Troilo

Using data from 731 divorced parents, hierarchical multiple regression models were computed to assess if six different aspects of ex-spouses’ relationships were associated with children’s post-divorce well-being. Coparenting cooperation, ex-spouses’ general communication, and boundary ambiguity were associated with child (ages 4-9) well-being. Boundary ambiguity, satisfaction with child support, and ex-spousal communication frequency were associated with youth (ages 10-18) well-being. Ex-spouses’ ongoing relationships may influence children’s well-being differently based on children’s developmental stage. FLEs should include other aspects of ex-spouses’ ongoing relationships in addition to coparenting cooperation, and focus on the age-based needs of children to provide more comprehensive post-divorce education.

Objectives

To determine which of six aspects of former spouses’ relationships are associated with children’s post-divorce well-being.To determine how former spouses’ relationships are associated with children’s well-being compared to youth well-being post-divorce.To identify aspects of the former spousal relationship that should be addressed in post-divorce education in addition to coparenting cooperation.

Effects of Infidelity on Well-Being Following Divorce: Vulnerabilities for Emerging Adult Parents

By Hilary Dalton, Renee Wilkins-Clark, Anthony Ferraro, McKenzie Cox, Kayla Reed-Fitzke

Using a stress process framework, this study assesses how infidelity as a reason for divorce impacts the relationship between co-parenting conflict and individual well-being, specifically depression and life satisfaction. The sample consists of divorced individuals who were emerging adults when their first child was born. A moderation model was fit and demonstrated significant group-level variation in the pathway from co-parenting conflict to life satisfaction as a function of infidelity. These findings could benefit CFLEs in adapting current co-parenting education programs for divorced, emerging adult co-parents, specifically when infidelity is a cause of divorce.

Objectives

To apply a stress process lens to understand how the proliferation of stressors can come to influence individual well-being (particularly life satisfaction and depression).To provide discussion of the influences of infidelity on post-divorce relationships as background information for educators and practitioners working with families.To understand how the vulnerabilities associated with emerging adulthood may precipitate future relational strains and role conflicts for young parents.

Looking Toward the Future: A Mixed-Methods Assessment of Online Divorce Education

By Judith Myers-Walls, Anthony Ferraro

Quality assessment in online divorce education has largely been lacking, despite calls to design, implement, and evaluate these programs by researchers, educators, and practitioners.  This study used a mixed-methods design to explore change in targeted attitudes from pre-test to post-test, based upon key demographic characteristics, for a subset of participants from the Southwestern U.S. (n=198). Preliminary results revealed significant change in attitudes fro some groups, particularly for those whose participation was optional. Six primary themes related to motivation were identified, including to help the children and learn to co-parent effectively. Implications for future divorce education programming will be provided.

Objectives

After attending this session, participants will be able to:1. Describe how key demographic characteristics impact the utility of online divorce education for parents.2. Outline effective methods of repeated measures evaluation for assessing online parenting education programs.3. List several ways that qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods have worked together to measure effectiveness of online education for one divorce education program.

Ending Relationships During Emerging Adulthood: Connections to School, Work, and Personal Growth

By Tyler Jamison, Jonathon Beckmeyer

Although they often cause temporary psychological distress, breakups are a normative and expected part of romantic development. Some scholars have begun to reframe the discussion of breakups to emphasize their developmental advantages, particularly for young adults. The explorations of identity, love, and work that accompany young adulthood may necessitate ending relationships that do not fit with emerging self-concept and/or professional goals. The proposed symposium brings together a collection of papers, utilizing diverse methodologies, to better understand the role relationship dissolution may play for a healthy romantic life. In each paper, the authors pay particular attention to how their findings can inform relationship education and/or clinical interventions.

Objectives

1) Attendees will learn research findings related to breakups for young adults; 2) Attendees will apply newly gained knowledge about breakups to clinical practice and education through discussion; 3) Attendees will translate the session’s main points into specific applications for relationship education and practice.

Bundle name
Conference Session