Internal Code: 1AJJEC
Research Proposal Assignment
Impact of Parental Separation on lifespan development of an adolescent.
Parental separation is a key issue that has an impact on individual and family development (Coady & Lehmann 2016). According to Australian Institute of Family Studies (2016), in 2011, while 82% of children are born into two-parent families, as they grow, progressively fewer live with both biological parents. Further, their research shows that in Australia, the family life of children living with a single parent or in a step-family is likely to be relatively complex.
Thus, family is central to the lives of children. I noticed this theme in the case study analysis of the 21 year old girl Hayley, leading me to focus on this topic area for my further research. Hayley’s life style indicates that she has experienced academic and behavioural problems around the time of her parent’s separation.
Parental roles and values are important in shaping adolescent and adult identity (Coady & Lehmann 2016). Therefore, examining the impacts of parental separation on lifespan development of adolescents is a relevant topic in social work as the social work profession is committed to improving the personal and social wellbeing of vulnerable individuals (AASW 2010).
Article 1
Aim: Lucas, Nicholson, Erbas (2013)’s study explores the differences in mental health of children from intact families with resident fathers and children from separated families with non-resident fathers. Also examines factors of poor mental health among children from separated families.
Methods: The research uses qualitative data collected from a sample of 4,983 Australian children aged 4-5 years in a kindergarten. Telephone interviews were conducted every 2 years as a follow up.
Findings: Children from separated families were disadvantaged compared to those from intact families on all socioeconomic measures. Also, higher parental conflict and low social support was reported in separated families.
Rationale: This study emphasises that children’s wellbeing is better when their families are free from conflict and also the importance of the fathers’ role in their children’s development. This research is relevant in my study to understand the mental health issues in children in separated families.
Article 2
Aim: Jennifer, Ruth and Lixia (2011) study connections between young children’s emotional wellbeing, the quality of co-parental relationship and post-separation paternal involvement.
Methods: This study is based on a sample of 4,303 elderly children and their families. Gathered quantitative and qualitative data using questionnaires and interviews.
Findings: Children living with one parent had poor emotional wellbeing. Irrespective of the family structure, the deteriorating inter-parental relationships are tended to impact negatively on children.
Rationale: Despite of the family type, this article has studied about the inter-parental relationship that has affected their children’s emotional wellbeing. Inter-parental relationship is an important aspect of my proposed topic.
Article 3
Aim: The aim of Jodie and Michael (2010)’s study is to investigate the adolescents’ experiences of the process of separation and their own involvement in the decisions that parents made about them during separation.
Methods: Questionnaires and telephone interviews have been conducted to gather quantitative data from 623 adolescents aged 12-14 years from separated families.
Findings: What adolescents want in their care-time arrangements, how they express their views, who they seek for support, their relationships with parents and other family members, and their understanding of issues regarding parental conflict.
Rationale: As this study specifically addresses several questions that are related to family law policy and focuses on both adolescents and parents’ views of separated families, this report gives important insights into my study.
Appendix
Lucas, N, Nicholson, M, J, & Erbas, B 2013, ‘Child mental health after parental separation: The impact of resident/non-resident parenting, parent mental health, conflict and socioeconomics’, Journal of Family Studies, Vol. 19, Issue 1, pp. 53-69
Abstract: “Children of separated parents are consistently shown to have greater likelihood of poor mental health than children of intact families. Explanations to date have focused on the impacts of parental con?ict, and the role of resident mothers, neglecting the potential importance of non-resident fathers. Using recent data from the longitudinal study of Australian children, this study: (1) compares the mental health of children from intact families with resident fathers to those from separated families with non-resident fathers; and (2) explores predictors of poor mental health among children from separated families. Children from separated families had poorer mental health than those from intact families, but this difference was explained fully by exposure to parental con?ict, socioeconomic status and parent mental health, and to a lesser extent by parenting practices. Among children from separated families, the strongest predictor of child mental health was maternal parenting consistency. Policy implications are discussed.”
Baxter, J, Weston, R & Qu, L 2011, ‘Family structure, co-parental relationship quality, post-separation paternal involvement and children’s emotional wellbeing’, Journal of Family Studies, Vol. 17, Issue 2, pp. 86-109.
Abstract: “It is well documented that children who experience parental divorce are more likely than those in intact families to experience a range of emotional and behavioural adjustment problems, and to perform less well academically. However, few studies of the impact of divorce have exclusively considered young children. This paper takes advantage of a recent Australian child cohort study to examine links between young children’s emotional wellbeing, the quality of the co-parental relationship, and post-separation paternal involvement. We found that while children aged 6–7 years living with both parents generally had better emotional wellbeing than similar aged children living with one parent, inter-parental hostility was an important factor in explaining young children’s emotional wellbeing. But regardless of family type, children whose parents had a hostile inter-parental relationship tended to have poorer emotional wellbeing than children whose parents did not have a non-hostile relationship, as reported by children and their parents.”
Lodge, J & Alexander, M 2010, ‘Views of adolescents in separated families, a study of adolescents’ experiences after the 2006 reforms to the family law system: report to the Australian Government Australian Institute of Family Studies
Executive summary: “A series of changes to the family law system in 2006 aimed to bring about a cultural shift in the management of separation, away from litigation and towards cooperative parenting. In particular, the 2006 changes to the Family Law Act 1975 were intended to bring the views, feelings and experiences of children into sharper focus. The present study explores the experience of parental separation for 623 adolescent children aged 12–18 years, whose parents separated after the introduction of the family law reforms in July 2006. The Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department (AGD) and Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) commissioned the study. With the backdrop of the family law reforms, the aim of the study was to describe how adolescent children view their experiences of parental separation. It is through the voices of these young people that we learn of their experiences of the process of parental separation and their own involvement in the decisions parents made about them following separation. Moreover, the findings in this study shed light on what adolescents wanted in their care-time arrangements, how they expressed their views, who they turned to for support, their relationships with parents and other family members, and their understanding of issues concerning parental conflict. The AIFS Evaluation of the Family Law Reforms drew upon three projects, one of which involved a longitudinal study of 10,000 separated parents across Australia. Adolescent children from these families were recruited for a study of young people. The ages of the children at the time of the separation ranged from 9 to 15 years, with an average age of 11 years. All families were registered with the Child Support Agency. Telephone interviews were conducted with 623 adolescents, aged 12–18 years. For the purposes of data analysis, three care-time arrangements were identified from adolescents’ self-reports: living mostly/only with mother; living mostly/only with father; and living equally with both parents (equal care time).”
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