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Abstract
The purpose of this paper was to examine the developmental effects of parental divorce on children in four age groups (i.e., infancy/ toddlerhood, childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood). Research has demonstrated both positive and negative outcomes for these children. A recent model of adjustment (Portes, Haas, & Brown, 1991) suggests four factors that correlate highly with adjustment to divorce, including child coping skills, pre- and post-divorce family functioning and stability, external social support systems, and post-divorce conditions. Further review of the literature yielded family dynamics (i.e., family conflict) versus family structure (i.e., divorced versus intact) as a more powerful predictor of children's adjustment. In addition, internal social support (i.e., a supportive family environment) has been found to reinforce positive coping strategies. Based on these findings, a pre- and post-divorce adjustment model for children was constructed. This model illustrates that the conduit through which social support (internal and external), family functioning, and family conflict influence adjustment (positive or negative) is children's coping strategies.
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