TY - JOUR
T1 - Developmental differences in children's understanding of marriage, divorce, and remarriage
AU - Mazur, Elizabeth
N1 - Funding Information:
Several studies in the past decade have investigated how children and adolescents reason about their parents' divorce and how this understanding changes developmentally (Kurdek, 1986; Kurdek & Siesky, 1980; Neal, 1983; Wallerstein & Kelly, 1980). However, there has been little research on children's understanding of marriage and divorce as a domain of social knowledge that is important in its This article is based on the author's dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment for the Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Michigan. This research was partially supported by an Individual National Research Service Award No. 5F31 MH09807-02 from NIMH, an American Psychological Association dissertation research award, a One-Term Dissertation Fellowship and a Dissertation Grant from the Horace Rackham School of Graduate Studies of The University of Michigan. The preparation of this article was supported by NIMH Research Training Grant No. 5 T32 MH18387-03 in Child Mental Health/ Primary Prevention. Portions of this research were presented at the meetings of the Conference on Human Development, March 1990, Richmond, VA, and of the Jean Piaget Society, June 1990, Philadelphia, PA. This study would not have been possible without the help of the children, teachers, parents, and principals of Bach, Eberwhite, Mitchell, and Thurston schools. Lois Hoffman, chair of my dissertation committee, provided invaluable guidance throughout the study. Appreciation is extended also to Sharlene Wolchik, Irwin Sandler, Sarah Mangelsdorf, Martin Rosenberg, Nancy Eisenberg, and Rita Shell for their thoughtful critiques of earlier drafts of this article. Correspondence and requests for reprints should be sent to Elizabeth Mazur, Eastern Kentucky University, Department of Psychology, Richmond, KY 40475-3108.
PY - 1993
Y1 - 1993
N2 - One hundred and nineteen children in kindergarten, second, and fourth grades, living with never divorced biological parents or with divorced mothers, were interviewed with both open-and close-ended questions about their understanding of, and evaluative attitudes toward, marriage, divorce, remariiage, and stepfamilies. Results indicate clear developmental differences in children's understanding of these issues and in their opinions about marriage, divorce, and stepfamilies. No differences were found, however, between the understanding of children with divorced and nondivorced parents, or between boys and girls. Although children with divorced parents were more likely than children with nondivorced parents to expect themselves to divorce in the future, no other differences were found in their attitudes. Results are discussed within a constructivistic perspective of children's acquisition of social knowledge.
AB - One hundred and nineteen children in kindergarten, second, and fourth grades, living with never divorced biological parents or with divorced mothers, were interviewed with both open-and close-ended questions about their understanding of, and evaluative attitudes toward, marriage, divorce, remariiage, and stepfamilies. Results indicate clear developmental differences in children's understanding of these issues and in their opinions about marriage, divorce, and stepfamilies. No differences were found, however, between the understanding of children with divorced and nondivorced parents, or between boys and girls. Although children with divorced parents were more likely than children with nondivorced parents to expect themselves to divorce in the future, no other differences were found in their attitudes. Results are discussed within a constructivistic perspective of children's acquisition of social knowledge.
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U2 - 10.1016/0193-3973(93)90032-Q
DO - 10.1016/0193-3973(93)90032-Q
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:38249004108
SN - 0193-3973
VL - 14
SP - 191
EP - 212
JO - Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
JF - Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
IS - 2
ER -