From: wdo@IEDV4.acd.com ( Bill Overpeck (TE)  )
Subject: drieux could yieuxs a clieux or tieux 
Organization: Applied Computing Devices, Inc., Terre Haute IN
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 15:46:36 GMT

In <1992Apr3.101141.9180@wetware.com> drieux@wetware.com 
   (drieux, just drieux) writes: >
rescorla@rtnmr.chem.yale.edu (Eric Rescorla) writes: >>
In article <1992Mar31.211345.25643@acd4.acd.com> wdo@IEDV4.acd.com 
   ( Bill Overpeck (TE)  ) writes: >

>>>On the other hand, numerous studies have documented the negative effects 
>>>of divorce on children.  Academic performance has been found to be sig-
>>>nificantly lower in children of divorce (for at least five years after
>>>the divorce).  Children of divorce experience more depression and anxiety
>>>than their counterparts from intact families.  In general, the presence
>>>of both parents in the home produces children who are more well adjusted,
>>>i.e. have fewer social and emotional difficulties, and better academic
>>>performance. 

>>And surely your studies have controlled for family discord which
>>is most likely highly correlated with divorce? Post hoc ergo propter hoc,
>>friend.

>I believe that we would need to look into the cases where
>children developed within families that did NOT divorce,
>and yet had the same high levels of ANGST free Floating
>within them.....  
>
>Then I think that the commentary on the effect of the
>DIVORCE as the single motivating cause would be of significance.

Let's see if I can explain this to drieux.  At the risk of sounding
patronizing...

The term "divorce" has implications beyond parental separation and
the selection of a custodial parent.  Divorce is usually precipitated
by marital conflicts and hostilities.  Once actual divorce proceedings 
begin, though, the incidence and intensity of malicious and vindictive 
behavior increases dramatically.  There are emotional consequences for 
the entire family.  Parents normally recognize that the children are 
being hurt by all of this, but they are usually out of control.  The
aftermath is ugly and insidious.  I see this in its most acute form
every week, in both children and adults.   

The studies I cited were *longitudinal* studies.  Children of divorced
parents are demonstrably impaired for *five years plus* subsequent to
the divorce, as compared with their counterparts from intact families.

Does marital conflict in intact families have negative consequences for 
children?  Of course it does.  Do children of divorced famlilies always
have functional impairments?  Of course not.  Some research indicates
that when the non-custodial parent is non-antagonistic and frequently 
available to their children, the emotional consequences are relatively 
insignificant.  But *that is not the norm*.  The battle often continues
for years.

The point is, one generally doesn't find the "same levels of free 
floating angst" in intact families (or if so, such families are not 
intact for long).  To suggest otherwise reflects either a lack of 
exposure to divorce or a lack of understanding with regard to its 
consequences.  

The following may also be of interest:

Forehand, R. and McCombs, A., and Long, N. et al "Early
adolescent adjustment to recent parental divorce: The role
of interparental conflict and adolescent sex as mediationg
variables", The Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology,
(1988) 56:624-27.

Long, N. and Forehand, R. and Fauber, R. and Brody, G.H. 
"Self-perceived and independently observed competence of
young adolescents as a function of parental marital con-
flict and recent divorce", Journal of Abnormal Child
Psychology (1987) 15:15-27.

Long, N. and Slater, E. and Forehand, R. and Fauber, R.,
"Continued high or reduced interparental conflict following
divorce: Relation to young adolescent adjustment", Journal
of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (1988) 56:467-69.

>And we are
>back to the question, what to do when People change and do we
>allow them a chance to try and correct things?

Since perhaps only you understand what you're alluding to here,
the answer should come from within...

>I would surely hate to see Bill OverPeck find himself defending
>the point that a SpousalAbuseVictim should stay in the arrangement
>merely for the sake of the kids.... 

Ooh, I've never thought of that!  You've really backed me into a 
corner here, drieux.  And so cleverly, tieux.  

Bill