title: Family and legal indicators of child adjustment to divorce among families with young children.
abstract: This research used structural equation modeling to examine relations among family dynamics, attorney involvement, and the adjustment of young children (0-6 years) at the time of parental separation. The article presents baseline data (N = 102 nonresidential fathers and N = 110 primary caretaking mothers) from a larger longitudinal study. Results showed that the effects of parental conflict on child outcomes were mediated by paternal involvement, the parent-child relationship, and attorney involvement. A scale assessing parental gatekeeping yielded two significant factors: Spouse's Influence on Parenting and Positive View of Spouse. Paternal involvement was related to children's adaptive behavior, whereas negative changes in parent-child relationships predicted behavior problems. Mothers who experienced greater psychological symptomatology were less likely to utilize an attorney, which in turn predicted greater internalizing problems in their children.
authors.affiliation: Division of Law and Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, 34 Park Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06508, USA. Marsha.Pruett@po.state.ct.us
authors.forename: Marsha Kline
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Pruett
authors.forename: Tamra Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Glendessa
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Insabella
authors.forename: Todd D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Little
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004243:Divorce / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016487:Parenting; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012917:Social Adjustment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States