title: Relational conflict and outcomes from an online divorce education program.
abstract: The impact of conflict on co-parenting outcomes of divorce education programs is not widely explored in the literature despite the prevalence of conflict in divorce. This study used outcome data from a sample of participants (N=272) who took the online Parents Forever™ course between 2012 and 2014. Participants were asked questions about positive and negative co-parenting behaviors as well their levels of conflict before and after the divorce or separation. There was on average a slight increase in conflict from post to follow-up (M=-0.397, SD=1.54). Simple linear regression analyses indicated that change in conflict explained a significant proportion of the variance in positive co-parenting scores, R2=0.07, F(1, 270)=19.98, p<0.001 and negative co-parenting scores, R2=0.08, F(1, 270)=23.78, p<0.001. Results suggest that conflict significantly impacts co-parenting behaviors targeted in the Parents Forever ™ course.
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 56 E River Rd, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA. Electronic address: nels8096@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cronin
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota Extension, 1420 Eckles Ave, Coffey Hall Room 495, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA. Electronic address: bech0079@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Emily H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Becher
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota Extension, 1420 Eckles Ave, Coffey Hall Room 495, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA. Electronic address: mccan023@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Ellie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McCann
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 1985 Buford Ave, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA. Electronic address: jmcguire@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Jenifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota Extension, 1420 Eckles Ave, Coffey Hall Room 495, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA. Electronic address: spowell@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Powell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology*; D020375:Education, Distance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*; D015397:Program Evaluation
keywords: Co-parenting; Divorce education; Inter-parental conflict; Parents forever&trade