Effects of Cognitive Versus Cognitive-Behavioral Divorce-Parenting Programs on Parental Conflict, Intimate Violence, Parental Communication, Divorce-Related Parental Behaviors and Children's Behavioral Problems

摘要

This study examines the effects of two State of Florida mandated divorce- parenting classes, one cognitive-based and the other cognitive- behavioral based, on several individual and family variables. Overall effects of the two groups combined on the dependent variables were also studied. The two- group pretest- posttest design with a three-month follow-up measured parents knowledge of divorce-related parenting behaviors, reports of intimate violence, destructive conflict tactics, parental communication, conflicts of interest, children's behavior problems and child exposure to parental conflict. The covariates of prior participation in divorce mediation services and history of an intimate violence incident were also measured. Nine-eight parents completed all three measures. Paired sample t tests, independent sample t tests, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) were all used to analyze the data. Results showed little differences between the cognitive and cognitive-behavioral courses on the study's dependent variables. Some evidence indicated that the parents who participated in the cognitive-behavioral course reported being slightly better at communicating with each other than parents in the cognitive course. Strong evidence was discovered showing that both courses increased parent's knowledge of divorce-related parenting behaviors from pre-class to post-class. This increase in knowledge was still evident at three-month follow-up.