The effects of resolution method of child custody and support plans on parental well‐being during the divorce process: Implications from and for divorce education

• Published date: 01 July 2024
• Author: J. Scott Crapo,Joshua J. Turner,Brian J. Higginbotham,Kay Bradford
• Date: 01 July 2024
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12809

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

The effects of resolution method of child custody

and support plans on parental well-being during

the divorce process: Implications from and for

divorce education

J. Scott Crapo | Joshua J. Turner | Brian J. Higginbotham |

Kay Bradford

Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA

Correspondence

J. Scott Crapo, Utah State University, Logan,

UT, USA.

Email: scott.crapo@usu.edu

Abstract

The majority of research on the impact of divorce on parents,

children, and families focuses on what occurs after the divorce

has been finalized. However, data derived from divorce educa-

tion programs present opportunities for research on the experi-

ence of parents during the divorce process. Guided by the

divorce-stress-adjustment model, this study sought to under-

stand how the divorce process impacts parental well-being by

examining some of the most pressing child-related concerns

divorcing parents have while going through a divorce. Specifi-

cally, we looked at how the approach parents took to resolve

child-related issues (i.e., internally, through outside intervention,

or unresolved) was related to the perceived fairness of child

custody arrangements, parental concerns regarding how

divorce impacts children, financial concerns, and their overall

well-being. Perceived fairness of the child custody arrange-

ment, concerns regarding how divorce impacts children, and

financial concerns were associated with parental well-being,

and also served as an indirect path through which approaches

to resolve child-related issues impacted parental well-being.

Understanding what parents think and feel during the divorce

process, and how those thoughts and feelings are related to

DOI: 10.1111/fcre.12809

© 2024 Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.

474 Family Court Rev. 2024;62:474–492.

wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/fcre

the actual steps to getting a divorce, could help inform divorce

education typically administered as part of divorce proceedings.

KEYWORDS

divorce education, parental well-being

Key Points for the Family Court Community

•The approach taken to resolve child-related issues during

divorce significantly impacted parental well-being.

•Perceived fairness of child custody arrangements was

also associated with parental well-being.

•Data collected from divorce education participants may

provide insight to family court professionals regarding

the divorce process for families.

•Divorce education may need to include more content

that targets the well-being of parents

•Models of divorce education that administer differing

curricula targeted for specific needs should be

considered

Parental well-being influences parenting quality, and consequently child well-being (Joussemet et al., 2014). Substan-

tial research on parental well-being post-divorce has been conducted (Bing et al., 2009; Jamison et al., 2014). How-

ever, during the divorce process child well-being has garnered relatively more attention (Newland, 2015). As a result,

research gaps exist in this area, especially in terms of how child-related and procedural aspects of the divorce pro-

cess are related to parental well-being.

Through data derived from a divorce education program, this study examined how the divorce process affects

parental well-being by examining some of the most pressing child-related concerns parents have during divorce.

Guided by the divorce-stress-adjustment model (which views divorce as a comprehensive process involving several

parties, combining elements of family stress, coping, and risk and resiliency theories; Amato, 2000), we looked at the

approach divorcing parents took toresolve child-related issues (i.e.,internally, through intervention, or unresolved)and

how this was related tothe perceived fairness of child custodyarrangements, concerns regardinghow divorce affects

children, financial concerns, and parental well-being. Understanding how the steps to finalizing a divorce influence

parental well-being could help expandthe utility of the divorce-stress-adjustment model (Amato, 2000), by illustrating

how divorce educationhas become an integral part of divorce proceedings, and how data derived from divorce educa-

tion programscan be useful in addressing researchquestions beyond mattersof program effectiveness.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Divorce education

Over the last several decades, divorce education has become a popular approach to orienting parents to the divorce

process (Schramm & Becher, 2020) and teaching them about the importance of effective coparenting (Choi

CRAPO ET AL.475