Children of Separation and Divorce: Effects of a Social Role-Taking Group Intervention on Fourth and Fifth Graders

Abstract

Fifty-seven 9-11-year-old children who had experienced parental separation or divorce participated in one of two divorce intervention groups. The experimental group provided training in cognitive social role taking and assertive communication skills. The placebo control group provided no specific skills training; its focus was the identification and discussion of feelings about the divorce. The children in the cognitive social role-taking group showed significantly more positive change in their beliefs and attitudes about the divorce (as measured by the Children's Attitude Toward Parental Separation Inventory) than did the children in the placebo group. No significant changes in depression (as measured by the Child Depression Scale) or school behavior (as measured by the Devereux Elementary School Behavior Rating Scale) were found. Results suggest that a period of consolidation may be necessary for changed attitudes and beliefs to produce measurable behavioral and emotional change.