D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology) / Divorce is an international problem that implicates children, affecting their best interests. In the United States of America, education programmes for divorcing and separating parents have been offered for decades. In South Africa the law has made provision for such education programmes. This study concerns the efficacy in a South African context of an already existing education programme for divorcing and separating parents, called Children in the Middle (CIM). This programme is widely used in the United States, has been widely researched, and is based on foundational theory. There are many factors that determine the outcome of divorce for children. There is a need to assist families in order to ensure the most favourable outcome. It is considered to be of the utmost importance to impart information to parents and build their awareness and skills. This research concluded that despite the lack of statistical evidence, the programme had many benefits for the participants, based on the feedback received from them. Parents had become sensitised to their children’s needs. Based on the qualitative data and attendance, it was concluded that psychoeducation at the time of divorce is a much-needed resource for parents in South Africa. Psycho-education for divorcing parents does not replace litigation, mediation or therapy; it should be offered as a mandatory alternative or an addition to the family at the time of divorce and should lead the process. The research has therefore proposed that psycho-education programmes should be mandatory for all divorcing parents regardless of the process that their divorce follows, as although there is no guarantee of outcome, it adds an extra dimension that may lead to a more favourable outcome and that parents are more likely to act in the best interests of their children.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 337-347). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references.

The effectiveness of the Caught in the Middle (CIM) program was evaluated in a sample of 7 parent-child dyads who had recently experienced marital separation. Changes in children’s feelings before and after program participation concerning the normative frequency of divorce, coping skills, stress, self-blame, and triangulation were assessed. Feeling supported, enjoying participation and practicing skills were assessed postintervention. Changes in parents’ feelings before and after the program concerning their satisfaction with CIM, their and their children’s stress levels, were assessed. Feeling supported, being informed about the effects of divorce, and application of skills taught for their own and their children’s benefit were reported at group culmination. Results demonstrate a significant decrease from pre- to post-test in parents’ perceptions of children’s stress levels. Although other research hypotheses were not supported, it is argued that initial evidence for the effectiveness of the CIM program was demonstrated. Clinical significance and implications are discussed. / Graduate

Thesis (Dip.App.Psych.) -- University of Adelaide, Dept. of Psychology, 1978.

Thesis--University of Florida. / Description based on print version record. Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-94).

Thesis (M.A.)--Rowan University, 2006. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Liberty University, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references.

The effect of separated home background on students' perception of the school environment as measured by the School Environment Assessment Scales (SEAS) is explored. Three hypotheses are advanced. The first proposes that students from separated homes will have a different perception of the school environment when compared with students of intact homes. The second suggests that there will be a difference in perception depending on the age of the student when parental separation took place. The third hypothesis indicates that there will be a difference in perception between male and female students of separated homes. In the first part of the study, 120 students from separated homes are compared with 120 students from intact homes. Results from this comparison demonstrate that there is a statistically significant difference at the .01 probability level between these two groups of students on Authoritarian Press, one of the eight SEAS scales. Contrary to expectations; students from separated homes perceived the school environment as less authoritarian. On the seven remaining SEAS scales, there is no statistically significant difference between these two groups. However, there is some indication that students from separated homes perceived a few more aspects of the school environment in a more favorable way. This more positive perception, even though conjectural in nature, cannot be neglected; implications of this trend are explored. In the second part of the study, intra-group comparisons on 117 students from separated homes on two variables, age at onset of parental separation and sex, are examined. There is no statistically significant difference on any of the SEAS scales between students whose parents separated when they were age 0-6, and students who were over age 6. On the variable sex, the female group scored significantly higher on two scales. On the Heterosexual Social Expression Scale, the level of significance reached the .01 level. On the Creative Self-Expression Scale, the level of significance reached the .05 level. Females perceived themselves as being more encouraged to interact with members of the opposite sex, and as being more encouraged to express themselves creatively. On the other six SEAS scales, there is no statistically significant difference between male and female groups. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate