Divorce and Children's Learning

Clarke-Stewart, Friedman and Koch (1985) stated that when divorce occurs in families where children are between 6 and 12, its disruptive consequences can include interference with their developing sense of industry and with the broadening of their thinking, both of which are factors that can hamper learning. Indeed, several studies have observed that young children's learning can be depressed and disrupted following parental divorce (e.g. Wallerstein, 1983; Hetherington, 1981; Hetherington, Cox & Cox, 1982). However, Emery (1982) observed that children's degree of adjustment to divorce can be elevated (and therefore the negative consequences lessened) if parents cease to continue their conflict and bitterness. To test the validity of Emery's statement, this study examines the effects of divorce on the learning of first-grade children in two groups of families: (1) families in which divorce occurred between 6 and 8 months prior and in which parents report resolution of their conflict; and (2) families in which divorce occurred between 6 and 8 months prior and parents report continuing conflict.

As noted prior, several studies have examined for the effects of divorce on the learning of young children. For example, Shinn (1978) reviewed 54 early studies of the effects of divorce, finding that the majority of them observed detrimental effects on school performance, learning achievement, and IQ tests. Shinn stated that some of

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ental Conflict (Low or High) was associated with differences in the learning achievement of first-grade children. Population and Sample Forty children served as subjects in the study. All subjects were first-graders at the same large local elementary school. Using school files, parents of first-grade female children were contacted by the investigator. If a family was, during this contact, identified as having been divorced between 6-8 months prior, they were asked to rate on a five-point, Likert-type scale (see "Variables" section of Chapter 2) their degree of continuing conflict. Their scores were used to assign children to either the High or Low Parental Conflict Group. Procedures were followed until 20 parents whose relationships were Low in Conflict and 20 parents whose relationships were High in Conflict had been identified. Children were restricted to first-grade females and divorce was limited to 6-8 months prior in order to control for response variance on learning measures due to these factors. Instrument The study's research instrument was the Level I version of the standardized achievement test, The Wide Range Achievement Test (Jastak & Jastak, 1978). Procedures Subjects were gathered together in one large r

Category: Psychology - D