{"title":"Looking Beyond the Sorting Hat: Deconstructing the “Five Factor Model” of Alienation","authors":"Benjamin D. Garber, Robert A. Simon","doi":"10.1080/10502556.2023.2262359","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10502556.2023.2262359","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACTOne of the most common dilemmas encountered in today’s family courts is the child who is strongly aligned with Parent A and rejects parent B. In the interest of supporting these children’s opportunity to enjoy a healthy relationship with both of their caregivers, one can work to determine which parent is to blame or what combination of parent behavior, relationship dynamics, and practical circumstances result in this outcome. The Five Factor Model (FFM) does the former, promoting a stepwise approach to “diagnosing” parental alienation. This paper demonstrates that for all of its appeal, the FFM is deeply flawed and promotes a binary (good guy/bad guy) approach that readily exacerbates family tensions. We reject the FFM and advocate instead for a balanced conceptualization of the child’s larger relationship ecology. A rubric guiding this ecological approach (Garber, in press 2023) is recommended.Keywords: AlienationResist/Refuse DynamicsFive Factor ModelRubricEcological model Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 The first author has often emphasized that the verb “diagnose” is associated with the medical model of individual pathology and therefore is misleading in this context. The relationship variables at issue are dynamics, not diagnoses, and can only be identified in systems (e.g., family) not within individuals.2 We acknowledge that the proponents of the FFM recognize that there is a larger copntext relevant to understanding resist/refuse dynamics, e.g., “There are several causes of contact refusal, and it is necessary to conduct an evaluation to determine whether the cause in a particular case is PA or some other issue within the child or the family” (Bernet and Greenhill, Citation2022, p. 591), However, the FFM is routinely promulgated (or at least misunderstood) as the singular recipe for identifying the cause of resist/refuse dynamics.3 Note that Baker originally promulgated a Four Factor Model (Baker, Citation2020b). She subsequently inserted the predicate resist/refuse behavioral condition as Factor 1, backing up the original four conditions into positions two through five to create today’s FFM. Note also a Canadian Court’s report that Baker described an alternative FFM as including “(1) evidence that the disfavored parent had an adequate relationship with the child prior to the current contact refusal; (2) evidence of absence of founded abuse or neglect on the part of a disfavored parent; (3) evidence that the favored parent engaged in intentional misrepresentation to professionals; (4) evidence that the favored parent engaged in behaviors consistent with alienation; and (5) evidence that the child exhibited behaviors consistent with alienation” (C.J.J. v. A.J., 2016 BCSC 676 §243; emphasis added).4 The simplicity and appeal of the FFM as evident for example in worksheet format (e.g., Evans, Citation2022) contradicts those proponents who argue that the identification of alie","PeriodicalId":35786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Divorce and Remarriage","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135695729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Unintended Childbearing and Marital Instability: An Emphasis on Couples' Intentions.","authors":"J Bart Stykes, Karen Benjamin Guzzo","doi":"10.1080/10502556.2020.1768494","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10502556.2020.1768494","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The birth of a child can negatively impact relationship functioning, especially if one or both partners did not intend to have a child. As such, unintended or disagreed-upon births may elevate the risk of dissolution. In this paper, we use the National Survey of Family Growth to consider how married couples characterize the intendedness of their first birth and examine its linkage with dissolution. Nearly one-third of first marital births are unintended by at least one parent. When fathers do not intend the birth, regardless of whether or not mothers do, couples report an elevated risk of dissolution.</p>","PeriodicalId":35786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Divorce and Remarriage","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7723351/pdf/nihms-1602332.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38709736","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sharlene Wolchik, Caroline Christopher, Jenn-Yun Tein, C Aubrey Rhodes, Irwin N Sandler
{"title":"Long-term Effects of a Parenting Preventive Intervention on Young Adults' Attitudes Toward Divorce and Marriage.","authors":"Sharlene Wolchik, Caroline Christopher, Jenn-Yun Tein, C Aubrey Rhodes, Irwin N Sandler","doi":"10.1080/10502556.2018.1528530","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10502556.2018.1528530","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examined whether the New Beginnings Program (NBP), a parenting-focused preventive intervention designed to reduce children's post-divorce mental health problems, affected attitudes toward divorce and marriage in young adults whose mothers had participated 15 years earlier. Participants (M = 25.6 years; 50% female; 88% Caucasian) were from 240 families that had participated in a randomized experimental trial (NBP vs. literature control). Analyses of covariance showed that program effects on both types of attitudes were moderated by gender. Males in the NBP reported more positive attitudes toward marriage and less favorable attitudes toward divorce than males in the literature control.</p>","PeriodicalId":35786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Divorce and Remarriage","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10502556.2018.1528530","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37349898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Colleen M Carr, Sharlene A Wolchik, Jenn-Yun Tein, Irwin Sandler
{"title":"Mother-Adolescent and Father-Adolescent Relationships After Divorce: Relations with Emerging Adult's Romantic Attachment.","authors":"Colleen M Carr, Sharlene A Wolchik, Jenn-Yun Tein, Irwin Sandler","doi":"10.1080/10502556.2018.1488120","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10502556.2018.1488120","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":35786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Divorce and Remarriage","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6561650/pdf/nihms-985233.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37321637","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nicole E Mahrer, Karey O'Hara, Irwin N Sandler, Sharlene A Wolchik
{"title":"Does Shared Parenting Help or Hurt Children in High Conflict Divorced Families?","authors":"Nicole E Mahrer, Karey O'Hara, Irwin N Sandler, Sharlene A Wolchik","doi":"10.1080/10502556.2018.1454200","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10502556.2018.1454200","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite a recent shift in the allocation of parenting time arrangements following divorce, there is no clear consensus regarding the effects of shared parenting on children's adjustment in high conflict families. We propose key questions and methodological options to increase the ability of results from well-designed empirical studies to inform practice and policy. We review eleven studies of the relations between parenting time and quality of parenting with children's adjustment in high conflict divorced families. Despite heterogeneity of the methods used across the studies some tentative conclusions can be made based on findings across multiple studies. Higher levels of shared parenting were related to poorer child adjustment in samples with high conflict many years following the divorce, but typically not in samples that assessed conflict during the divorcing process or in the two or three years following the divorce. There is also evidence that the effects of shared parenting on child adjustment in the presence of high conflict differs by gender, and that high quality of parenting by at least one parent is associated with better child adjustment in high conflict divorces. Implications for policy and practice are discussed as well as directions for research to strengthen the knowledge base to inform policy.</p>","PeriodicalId":35786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Divorce and Remarriage","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10502556.2018.1454200","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25513516","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chalandra M Bryant, Ted G Futris, Megan R Hicks, Tae-Kyoung Lee, Assaf Oshri
{"title":"AFRICAN AMERICAN STEPFATHER-STEPCHILD RELATIONSHIPS, MARITAL QUALITY, AND MENTAL HEALTH.","authors":"Chalandra M Bryant, Ted G Futris, Megan R Hicks, Tae-Kyoung Lee, Assaf Oshri","doi":"10.1080/10502556.2016.1196852","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10502556.2016.1196852","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examined associations between stepfather-stepchild relationship quality, stepfathers' depressive symptoms, and two aspects of marriage: marital quality and positive marital interactions. Marital quality was assessed in terms of commitment, trust, passionate and friendship-based love, and happiness. Marital interactions were assessed in terms of intimacy, shared activities, and verbal communication. Using data collected from 149 recently married African American stepfathers, structural equation modeling revealed that when stepfathers reported more positive relationships with their stepchildren, they also reported more positive marital quality and a higher frequency of positive marital interactions (relationship solidifying activities), and that, in turn, was associated with stepfathers experiencing fewer depressive symptoms.</p>","PeriodicalId":35786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Divorce and Remarriage","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10502556.2016.1196852","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"34783257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Temporal Effects of Divorces and Separations on Children's Academic Achievement and Problem Behavior.","authors":"Jeremy Arkes","doi":"10.1080/10502556.2014.972204","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10502556.2014.972204","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper provides an examination of the effects of the divorce and separation process on children's academic achievement over time. By using child fixed effects and establishing a baseline period that is 4-or-more years prior to a family disruption, I can examine how children are affected in different periods relative to the disruption and whether any negative effects subside, persist, or escalate as time passes from the disruption. With a sample of 7-14 year olds, I find: children are affected at least 2-4 years before the disruption; reading test scores are most affected; and for Reading Comprehension, the negative effects persist and even escalate as time passes from the disruption.</p>","PeriodicalId":35786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Divorce and Remarriage","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10502556.2014.972204","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"32967895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Temporal Differences in Remarriage Timing: Comparing Divorce and Widowhood.","authors":"Spencer L James, Kevin Shafer","doi":"10.1080/10502556.2012.719388","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10502556.2012.719388","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>One gap in the remarriage literature to date concerns the timing of remarriage among different groups. This paper begins to fill this gap by examining the tempo of remarriage among individuals whose first marriages ended in divorce and individuals whose first marriages ended in spousal death. Drawing on event-history models, the results suggest that divorced individuals remarry quicker than individuals whose first marriage ended in spousal death. Interestingly, results also indicate that this relationship is moderated by both gender and parity, suggesting demographic and life course factors can impede or encourage post-marital union formation.</p>","PeriodicalId":35786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Divorce and Remarriage","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2012-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10502556.2012.719388","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"31044614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Galena K Rhoades, Scott M Stanley, Howard J Markman, Erica P Ragan
{"title":"Parents' Marital Status, Conflict, and Role Modeling: Links With Adult Romantic Relationship Quality.","authors":"Galena K Rhoades, Scott M Stanley, Howard J Markman, Erica P Ragan","doi":"10.1080/10502556.2012.675838","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10502556.2012.675838","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigated three parental marital statuses and relationship quality among unmarried, but dating adults ages 18 to 35 (N = 1153). Those whose parents never married one another tended to report the lowest relationship quality (in terms of relationship adjustment, negative communication, commitment, and physical aggression) compared to those with divorced or married biological parents. In addition, those with divorced parents reported lower relationship adjustment and more negative communication than those with married parents. Parental conflict and the degree to which participants rated their parents' relationship as a healthy model for their own relationships partially explained the associations between parental marital status and relationship outcomes. We suggest that this particular family type (i.e., having parents who never marry one another) needs greater attention in this field in terms of research and intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":35786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Divorce and Remarriage","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2012-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3399587/pdf/nihms388682.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"30782126","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Effect of Divorce Experience on Religious Involvement: Implications for Later Health Lifestyle.","authors":"Kimiko Tanaka","doi":"10.1080/10502550903423149","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10502550903423149","url":null,"abstract":"The divorce-stress adjustment perspective defines divorce not as a single event, but as a process with effects that linger even after remarriage. Previous studies based on the divorce-stress adjustment perspective looked at divorce as a stressful process and analyzed how divorce can negatively affect health outcomes after the actual divorce has taken place. This perspective is a combination of various elements of stress frameworks that has been dominating the literatures on divorce. However, the popularity of the stress framework resulted in less attention to studying divorce as an active or passive choice that some individuals make in their life course and the life event influences their social behaviors in later life, which could provide another possible explanation why divorce can negatively influence health even after remarriage.","PeriodicalId":35786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Divorce and Remarriage","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/10502550903423149","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"28940031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}