| dc.description.abstract | Background: A parental divorce can be accompanied by the existence of parent-child coalitions. In such instances, children form a coalition or alliance with one parent. These parent-child coalitions may be affected by conflicts between parents as well as parent-child contact. This relationship is not entirely clear. Purpose: This study aims to examine the existence and amount of parent child coalitions after parental divorce. It also investigates the role of parental conflicts and parent-child contact. Method: Existing longitudinal database from 2009-2011 in which a random sample of 156 children between 7 and 13 years and their parents, from divorced or separated families. We used the IPPA to measure mother-child and father-child relationship quality. The difference between the two is regarded as an indication of parent-child coalitions, where a larger difference indicates a stronger alliance between the child and one of the parents. We examined both the relative and absolute difference between all subscales of the IPPA: alienation, communication and trust. Further, we examined child-reported contact with mother and father, as well as child-reported interparental conflicts. To examine the effects of conflicts and contact on parent-child coalitions, we used data from wave 1 and 3 of the study. Results: Analyses on these data reveal considerable differences within post-divorce families between mother-child and father-child relationship quality. This is an indication of the existence of parent-child coalitions after divorce. This study shows that parental conflict prior to the divorce affect parent child coalitions in terms of communication and alienation and parental conflict immediately after the divorce affect parent child coalitions in terms of trust. When there is more contact between the child and his/her parents there occur parent child coalitions in terms of alienation and communication ± 34 weeks after the divorce and parent child coalitions in terms of communication and trust with mother compared to father. Conclusion: Parental conflict and contact frequency affect the degree of parent child coalitions after a divorce. These parent child coalitions can have negative consequences for the welfare and development of children and it is important for social workers to be aware of the impact of a divorce and the consequences for children.
Keywords: Divorce - parental conflicts - contact frequency - relationship quality –
parent child coalitions. | |
