Dissertation (Ph.D.) -- The Institute for Clinical Social Work, 1997. / A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the Institute of Clinical Social Work in partial fulfillment for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Separation and divorce have become normative life events for many families throughout the world. According to the most recent statistics, during 1998, a total of 35 792 divorces were granted in South Africa alone, resulting in 45 123 children being affected by the divorce of their parents (Statistics South Africa - Statistical Release PO 307). Children who best survive their parents divorce are those maintaining significant and positive relationships with both parents. Children whose parents share parenting also cope better with the consequences of divorce. This study therefore attempted to provide insight into the personal experiences of divorced parents in relation to sharing of parenting after divorce. In this qualitative study, the researcher used the snowballing technique of sampling. A total of 16 divorced parents, including eight mothers and eight fathers, were included in the sample. The sample comprised of custodial, noncustodial and joint custodial parents who had been divorced for a period of at least two years. The interview schedules were personally administered and manually analyzed by the researcher. From the main findings, it was ascertained that respondents experienced tremendous difficulties in coping with the aftermath of divorce more especially in the realm of co-parenting. The main challenges they have had to face were problems relating to access to children, conflict in post-divorce relationships, stress related to the remarriage of ex-spouses, lack of sharing of parental responsibilities, communication problems and lack of therapeutic support. In order to promote effective post-divorce parenting, the researcher made recommendations with regard to the provision of educational programmes and therapeutic services for parents, children and other interested parties affected by the divorce. Recommendations, pertaining to divorce, are also made in respect of the justice system in South Africa. / Thesis (LL.M.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 76-79).

Differences between joint custody and mother custody families were assessed. The sample consisted of 42 post divorce families which had a child between the age of 4 and 15 years and resided in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. This cross sectional, multimethod, quasi-experimental study examined two groups of divorced families. The experimental group consisting of 21 joint custody families, was compared to the control group, consisting of 21 mother custody families. Families were matched between the two groups based on the child's gender, age and time lapse since parental separation. Within each family, interviews were conducted with one parent and with the parent's permission, a target child. Besides the interview, parents completed a questionnaire and the Child Behavior Checklist. Only 19 parents gave permission for their child to be interviewed. Parents completed a questionnaire and the Child Behavior Checklist.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-82).

The study conducted, sought to assess the effectiveness of an established divorce education program in reducing parental conflict and increasing cooperative coparenting relationships among former spouses and also to assess the participant satisfaction with the program's format.

Esta pesquisa se propôs a analisar a experiência de parentalidade vivenciada por casais separados que escolheram a guarda compartilhada como forma de cuidar de seus filhos. A amostragem foi intencional, composta por seis casais, sendo quatro completos (ex-marido e ex-mulher) e dois incompletos (somente um exmarido em um caso e apenas uma ex-mulher em outro), formando um conjunto de dez entrevistados. As entrevistas foram gravadas, transcritas literalmente e submetidas a uma Análise de Conteúdo. Os temas que emergiram foram: como se deu a escolha por este tipo de guarda; como ocorre a parentalidade nesta situação de guarda compartilhada e fatores que favorecem ou dificultam a manutenção dos laços parentais nestas condições. Os resultados mostram que a escolha por este tipo de guarda se deu por orientação do advogado ou de outro operador do Direito; quanto ao modo como a parentalidade vem sendo exercitada na guarda compartilhada, o que se salienta é que, apesar de algumas dificuldades, tais como conciliar as especificidades desse vínculo com o respeito e a preservação da individualidade de cada um dos ex-integrantes do casal, os pais vêm, na maior parte das vezes, conseguindo superar estes desafios, priorizando o melhor interesse dos filhos. As atribuições parentais vêm sendo exercidas de um modo mais igualitário, caracterizando um novo estilo parental; quanto aos fatores que favorecem a manutenção da parentalidade na guarda compartilhada encontramos: priorizar o bem estar dos filhos; saber distinguir a conjugalidade da parentalidade; manter um canal aberto de comunicação para tratar dos interesses deles. Os que dificultam, são: divisão assimétrica das atribuições do cotidiano dos filhos, dificuldade de comunicação entre os pais, propostas educacionais divergentes e a competição entre os ex-cônjuges. / This research had the objective to analyse the experience of parenthood by divorced and separated couples who chose joint custody to take care their children. The sample was intentional and compounded by six couples. Their are four couples (ex-husbands and ex-wives) and two incomplete couples (only one ex-husband and only a woman), as the total of ten people. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and submitted to Content Analyse. The themes were analysed as: how to choose this type of guard; how manage the parental responsabilities in this situation and what factors help or make difficult the maintenance of parental ties. The results showed that the choice by this type of guard was the oriented by a lawyer or other justice agent; regard the exercise of parental responsabilities, althought some difficulties, such as adjust the specificities this tie the respect and preserve the individuality by each member of the couple, the parents, in most cases, obtained sucess and took priority to children interests. The parental attributions were exercising in igualitarian type; the factors that help the parenthood maintenance in shared guard were: to priority the children well-being; to distinguish the conjugal ties to the parental ties; to maintain an open communication channel to deal with the children interests. The factors that difficult the joint custody were: a assimetric division of routine care, inapropriate communication between parents and their educational objectives and competition between them.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-01T18:08:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_maria_lucia_cavalcanti.pdf: 2081415 bytes, checksum: 2d17a9fe66b442d2ec80a6e3128c2ab4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-12-01 / This research had the objective to analyse the experience of parenthood by divorced and separated couples who chose joint custody to take care their children. The sample was intentional and compounded by six couples. Their are four couples (ex-husbands and ex-wives) and two incomplete couples (only one ex-husband and only a woman), as the total of ten people. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and submitted to Content Analyse. The themes were analysed as: how to choose this type of guard; how manage the parental responsabilities in this situation and what factors help or make difficult the maintenance of parental ties. The results showed that the choice by this type of guard was the oriented by a lawyer or other justice agent; regard the exercise of parental responsabilities, althought some difficulties, such as adjust the specificities this tie the respect and preserve the individuality by each member of the couple, the parents, in most cases, obtained sucess and took priority to children interests. The parental attributions were exercising in igualitarian type; the factors that help the parenthood maintenance in shared guard were: to priority the children well-being; to distinguish the conjugal ties to the parental ties; to maintain an open communication channel to deal with the children interests. The factors that difficult the joint custody were: a assimetric division of routine care, inapropriate communication between parents and their educational objectives and competition between them. / Esta pesquisa se propôs a analisar a experiência de parentalidade vivenciada por casais separados que escolheram a guarda compartilhada como forma de cuidar de seus filhos. A amostragem foi intencional, composta por seis casais, sendo quatro completos (ex-marido e ex-mulher) e dois incompletos (somente um exmarido em um caso e apenas uma ex-mulher em outro), formando um conjunto de dez entrevistados. As entrevistas foram gravadas, transcritas literalmente e submetidas a uma Análise de Conteúdo. Os temas que emergiram foram: como se deu a escolha por este tipo de guarda; como ocorre a parentalidade nesta situação de guarda compartilhada e fatores que favorecem ou dificultam a manutenção dos laços parentais nestas condições. Os resultados mostram que a escolha por este tipo de guarda se deu por orientação do advogado ou de outro operador do Direito; quanto ao modo como a parentalidade vem sendo exercitada na guarda compartilhada, o que se salienta é que, apesar de algumas dificuldades, tais como conciliar as especificidades desse vínculo com o respeito e a preservação da individualidade de cada um dos ex-integrantes do casal, os pais vêm, na maior parte das vezes, conseguindo superar estes desafios, priorizando o melhor interesse dos filhos. As atribuições parentais vêm sendo exercidas de um modo mais igualitário, caracterizando um novo estilo parental; quanto aos fatores que favorecem a manutenção da parentalidade na guarda compartilhada encontramos: priorizar o bem estar dos filhos; saber distinguir a conjugalidade da parentalidade; manter um canal aberto de comunicação para tratar dos interesses deles. Os que dificultam, são: divisão assimétrica das atribuições do cotidiano dos filhos, dificuldade de comunicação entre os pais, propostas educacionais divergentes e a competição entre os ex-cônjuges.

This study focused on the experiences of professionals in drafting and implementing parenting plans with high-conflict separating and divorcing families in the South African context. The primary aim of the study was to explore the participants’ personal and professional experiences through an in-depth and sensitive inquiry. The data was collected from five participants using face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. The results of this study indicate that professionals experience various challenges when working with high-conflict separating and divorcing families. The participants also shared their perceptions regarding parenting plans. Further research on the challenges specific to drafting and implementing parenting plans with high-conflict separating and divorcing families in the South African context is recommended / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

This study focused on the experiences of professionals in drafting and implementing parenting plans with high-conflict separating and divorcing families in the South African context. The primary aim of the study was to explore the participants’ personal and professional experiences through an in-depth and sensitive inquiry. The data was collected from five participants using face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. The results of this study indicate that professionals experience various challenges when working with high-conflict separating and divorcing families. The participants also shared their perceptions regarding parenting plans. Further research on the challenges specific to drafting and implementing parenting plans with high-conflict separating and divorcing families in the South African context is recommended / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)