Whether joint custody should be mandated by state law as the norm for divorcing couples is hotly debated between fathers' and mothers' rights groups and among mental health and legal professionals. This debate is traced, and the public policy implications of recent joint custody research are discussed. Policies for strengthening coparenting after…

Provides comprehensive definition of psychological trauma and offers guidance to practitioners who are increasingly needed to treat traumatized children. Key therapy considerations are organized around the role of dissociation and repetition compulsion in trauma. Presents treatments in connection with aloneness of trauma experience, dream and…

Examines parental responsibilities of rearing adolescent children as well as the factors that can support or undermine a parent's ability to perform them. Integrates current research and theory on child rearing, adolescent and adult development, and parent adolescent relations to present a conceptual framework for parenting adolescents. Discusses…

We used data from the study of Marital Instability Over the Life Course to examine links between divorce in the grandparent generation and outcomes in the grandchild generation (N= 691). Divorce in the first (G1) generation was associated with lower education, more marital discord, weaker ties with mothers, and weaker ties with fathers in the…

This document describes Wisconsin's new law requiring the consent of a minor's parent or adult relative in order for a physician to perform an abortion on a minor. Part I describes highlights of the new law, including the consent requirement, exemptions, and court bypass procedure. Part II gives the background of the law, including incidence of…

The concept of limits on child and teenage behavior is discussed in this book. Section I includes the core hypothesis of the theory of limits and discusses these essential concepts: (1) the pleasure/pain principle (the need to increase tolerance for stimulation in the pain center of the brain in order to be able to tolerate more stimulation in the…

This document reports on the Home-Centered Prevention (HCP) Project, located in San Antonio, Texas within the Texas Department of Human Services Region 9, which was designed to implement and test a model for in-home services to families in which child abuse had occurred. It contains a process evaluation describing the first-year efforts of project…

Identifies characteristics of the celebrity family, examining issues of confidentiality and trust, family boundaries, parenting roles, unrealistic expectations of and for the children, and family isolation. Describes the family as entering into a tacit contract enabling the celebrity to pursue his/her career by relinquishing the parental role to…

Suggests that social workers develop a professional approach that includes the treatment of lesbian and gay clients within the context of the family. Discusses self disclosure, legal issues, family relationships, and friendship networks. (JAC)

Proposes a group training approach for teaching child management skills to parents. Describes the course's focus on parent and child behavior, outlines the physical, verbal, cognitive, and performance skills that a parent participant would acquire, and discusses its emphasis on creating parent-child relationships that are full of empathy and…

Discusses impact of parent's imprisonment on children of male and female inmates at four crisis points: (1) arrest and pretrial; (2) sentencing day; (3) initial incarceration; and (4) pre/post release. Describes Sesame Street projects, designed to provide educational and entertaining activities for children on prison visiting days. (CMG)

Four factors are identified as crucial in facilitating the emotional adjustment of a child in remarriage: (1) the preremarriage adjustment of the child; (2) the age of the child at the time of remarriage; (3) the stepparent-stepchild relationship; and (4) the presence of stepsiblings. (Author)

Reviews what is known about maternal response to last child leaving home (empty nest syndrome) and factors affecting adjustment to postparental phase of development. Discusses implications for counselors. (Authors/CM)

Because parental alienation syndrome is newly recognized, it must be redefined as new cases are observed. Evidence suggests that alienation may be provoked by other than custodial matters, cases of alleged sexual abuse may be hinted, slow judgments by courts exacerbate problem, prolonged alienation of child may trigger mental illness, and little…

Examined how parent/adult child relationships affect adult children's and parents' (n=3,618) psychological distress levels. Found that quality of intergenerational relationships appears influenced by structural circumstances; that negative aspects of relationships are more strongly associated with psychological distress than are positive aspects;…