Impacts of Parents Forever on Parental Behavior and Adjustment During Divorce: A Short-Term Follow-Up Evaluation Study

Abstract

The focus of this research project was to investigate the perceived usefulness and impacts of a 4-hour divorce education workshop offered to adults. The program, Parents Forever, is a parent education program designed to assist adults dealing with the divorce or separation process and educate them about the effects on children and strategies for effective coparenting. Participants included 238 individuals who completed the workshop and then participated in an initial postprogram survey and a follow-up survey 2 months later, with 82 individuals completing the follow-up survey. The questionnaires evaluated the participants' perceptions regarding program usefulness, program impacts on their behavior, and demographic and participation variables of interest. Participants indicated positive views of program usefulness and significant adjustments in specific divorce-related behaviors. The implications of the findings for support of divorce education programs are explored.

Keywords:

• coparenting
• divorce
• divorce education
• parent education
• parents and divorce
• program evaluation