Effects of the Dads for Life Intervention on Interparental Conflict and Coparenting in the Two Years After Divorce

Abstract

The ability of parents to forge harmonious coparenting relationships following divorce is an important predictor of their children's long-term well-being. However, there is no convincing evidence that this relationship can be modified through intervention. A preventive intervention that we developed, Dads for Life (DFL), which targeted noncustodial parents as participants, has previously been shown in a randomized field trial to favorably impact child well-being. We explore here whether it also has an impact on mothers' and fathers' perceptions of coparenting and interparental conflict in the 2 years following divorce. Results of the latent growth curve models we evaluated showed that both mothers and fathers reported less conflict when the father participated in DFL as compared with controls. For the fathers, perceptions of coparenting did not change over time in either the DFL or control conditions. Alternatively, mothers' perceptions of support declined over time in the control group, whereas those whose ex-husbands participated in the DFL program reported significant positive growth change toward healthier coparenting. The positive findings for mothers' reports are particularly compelling because mothers were not the participants, and thus common alternative explanations are ruled out. The DFL intervention, then, offers courts a promising program to improve families' functioning after divorce.

Parents Forever: Evaluation of an Online Divorce Education Program

“…However, divorce is an acrimonious and painful experience, and often couples experience intense conflict while issues of custody and finances are still being negotiated. Once finalized, many couples experience a normative improvement in conflict over time (e.g., Cookston, Braver, Griffen, Deluse, & Miles, 2007). Therefore, couples having a more difficult experience finding resolution in their divorce process who are still in process 6 to 10 months later might have different or more intensive needs that would need to be addressed to significantly improve their outcomes on these items.…”

Los efectos del conflicto parental después del divorcio sobre el rendimiento educativo de los hijos

“…Mediation services and parental training courses for divorced parents may facilitate these objectives (Emery et al, 2005;Fariña and Arce, 2005;Emery, 1994). In the United States, for example, a programme for divorced parents called 'Dads for Life' has been promoted to encourage the involvement of the non-resident parent in the care of the children and reinforce upbringing skills, work to reduce parental conflict and foster joint parenting (DeGarmo et al, 2008;Cookston et al, 2006;Braver et al, 2005). Other programmes also implemented in the United States involve children in programmes such as 'Children's Support Group', 'Children of Divorce Intervention Project' (Pedro-Carroll, 2005) and 'New Beginnings' (Wolchik et al, 2002).…”

“…Los servicios de mediación y cursos de educación parental dirigidos a padres divorciados pueden facilitar estos objetivos (Emery et al, 2005;Fariña y Arce, 2005;Emery, 1994). En Estados Unidos, por ejemplo, se ha impulsado el programa «Dads for Life» dirigido a padres divorciados que, además de promover la implicación del padre no residente en el cuidado de los hijos y reforzar las habilidades de crianza, trabaja para reducir el conflicto interparental e incentivar la coparentalidad (DeGarmo et al, 2008;Cookston et al, 2006;Braver et al, 2005). Otros programas también implementados en Estados Unidos involucran a los hijos en los programas como «Children's Support Group», «Children of Divorce Intervention Project» (Pedro-Carroll, 2005) y «New Beginnings» (Wolchik et al, 2002).…”

Children of Divorce: New Trends and Ongoing Dilemmas

“…Gradually, divorce and court-related interventions such as the Collaborative Divorce Project (Pruett, Insabella, & Gustafson, 2005) are incorporating the interests and needs of fathers. These interventions typically are designed to encourage fathers to remain active in childrearing after divorce, to increase parenting skills and motivation, and to decrease parental conflict (also see Cookston, Braver, Griffin, deLusé, & Miles, 2007;Mincy & Pouncy, 2002).…”