CHILDREN'S ALIGNMENT WITH PARENTS IN HIGHLY CONFLICTED CUSTODY CASES

Abstract

In one of two samples discussed in this article, 41% of 24 consecutively referred latency‐age children were aligned with one parent in a divorce. In a separate sample of 20 families, both parents of aligned children were more rigid, naively defended, and less emotive than were parents of nonaligned children. Aligned children preferred the more emotive, problem solving, and outgoing of the two parents. Aligned children were less adept at conceptualizing complex problems than were nonaligned children, but they were more self‐confident.