Children and parental divorce: The meaning of small effects - A reply

Abstract

The commentary on my earlier review of Australian studies of parental divorce raises a number of important points. One of these is the evaluation of strength of association. I argue that the effect sizes found for the association between parental divorce and several social and psychological outcomes have been understated and can be shown to be equal to those of other important early-life and contemporary risk factors for mental health problems. A second issue is the research direction required to establish those factors which mediate or moderate the impact of parental separation for children. I suggest that the following questions need to be addressed: (a) What factors operating in childhood ameliorate or exacerbate the social and psychological problems associated with parental divorce? (b) What behavioural signs identify those children who develop long-term problems? (c) What circumstances in adolescence and adulthood operate as risk and protective factors for the onset and persistence of adult difficulties? Show more