Parental divorce and adult children's attachment representations and marital status

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore adult attachment as a means of understanding the intergenerational transmission of divorce, that is, the propensity for the children of divorce to end their own marriages. Participants included 157 couples assessed 3 months prior to their weddings and 6 years later. Participants completed the Adult Attachment Interview and questionnaires about their relationships, and were videotaped with their partners in a couple interaction task. Results indicated that, in this sample, adult children of divorce were not more likely to divorce within the first 6 years of marriage. However, parental divorce increased the likelihood of having an insecure adult attachment status. For women, age at the time of their parents' divorce was related to adult attachment status, and the influence on attachment representations may be more enduring. Among adult children of divorce, those who were classified as secure in their attachment representations were less likely to divorce in the early years of marriage than insecure participants.

The Long-Term Correlates of Childhood Exposure to Parental Alienation on Adult Self-Sufficiency and Well-Being

“…Parental conflict in particular is predictive of less warmth, sensitivity and involvement in parents' interactions with their children (Owen & Cox, 1997), which can increase insecure attachments in children and cause difficulties for children of divorce in their adult relationships (Emery, 1982). While children of divorce in general may be vulnerable to relationship difficulties (Crowell, Treboux, & Brockmeyer, 2009;Sager, 2009), children of PA are likely at particular risk. Because alienating parents are more concerned with their own needs than effectively meeting the emotional needs of the child, they cultivate relationships that involve dependency and are imbued with psychological control and manipulation.…”

The Marital Scales: Measurement of Intent, Attitudes, and Aspects Regarding Marital Relationships

“…There are currently no instruments incorporating intent to marry as a specific subscale. Measures of marital attitudes and expectations, such as the LockeWallace Short Marital Adjustment Scale (Cohen, 1985) and the Spanier's Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Cohen, 1985), are for heterosexual married couples (Crowell, Treboux, & Brockmeyer, 2009;McNulty & Karney, 2004). Other scales, such as the Marriage Role Expectation Inventory (Dunn, 1960), assess the type of roles one might have in a married relationship based on traditional or egalitarian stereotypes.…”

Effects of family connection and family individuation

“…Marital quality and parental conflict affect the long-term well-being of children: commitment, closeness, and equality in marriage are associated with children's psychological health (Lewis & Looney, 1984;Lewis, Beavers, Gossett, & Phillips, 1976). Parental divorce increases the likelihood of insecure adult attachment in adult children (Crowell, Treboux, & Brockmeyer, 2009). Parents' ability to conceptualize and talk about their emotions affects the ability of their children to understand and regulate their own emotions (Gottman, Katz, & Hooven, 1997).…”