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EFFECTS OF SKILL‐BASED VERSUS INFORMATION‐BASED DIVORCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND PARENTAL COMMUNICATION
Author(s) -
Kramer Kevin M.,
Arbuthnot Jack,
Gordon Donald A.,
Rousis Nicholas J.,
Hoza Joann
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
family court review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.171
H-Index - 4
eISSN - 1744-1617
pISSN - 1531-2445
DOI - 10.1111/j.174-1617.1998.tb00491.x
Subject(s) - demographics , domestic violence , psychology , control (management) , developmental psychology , social psychology , human factors and ergonomics , poison control , medicine , demography , sociology , environmental health , management , economics
This study used a pre‐ and postevaluation with a control group to compare the effectiveness of two divorce education programs: skill‐based Children in the Middle (CIM) and informationbased Children First in Divorce (CFD). Each treatment group consisted of approximately 125 divorcing parents mandated to attend divorce education in Florida. The control group consisted of 64 divorcing parents not mandated to attend divorce education in Alabama for lack of a program. Treatment and control parents lived in comparable cities with comparable demographics. Results indicate that CIM, not CFD, improved parental communication. Both CIM and CFD reduced child exposure to parental conflict. Neither program had effects on domestic violence, actual parental conflict, or child behavior problems. Across all groups, parents with greater divorce knowledge and communication skills experienced more reciprocal discussions with the other parent, less parental conflict, less domestic violence, and they exposed children to less conflict.