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Beyond the Average Divorce
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Beyond the Average Divorce



April 2009 | 208 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc

Beyond the Average Divorce provides marriage and family scholars and students a rich depiction of how children and adults of all ages respond to diverse divorce experiences. Rather than emphasizing means and averages in looking at "typical" family reactions to divorce, authors David H. Demo and Mark A. Fine emphasize variability and change over time in the pre-divorce, divorce, and post-divorce process. The book's three parts explore theoretical and methodological tools for studying divorce, the divorce process and its multiple pathways, and future directions in research.

Key Features

  • Includes cutting-edge research on how children are affected by multiple transitions in family structure and parenting arrangements during the divorce process
  • Covers the most common causes of divorce and how the family environment deteriorates during the years leading up to divorce
  • Provides easy-to-understand descriptions and examples of how specific research methods can be used to study divorce
  • Offers a dynamic theoretical model of divorce and how it is experienced by family members in a wide variety of family situations
  • Discusses policy implications as well as directions for future theoretical, research, and clinical work in this vital area


Beyond the Average Divorce is intended as a core textbook for use in upper-level undergraduate or graduate courses in Family Stress and Divorce, Dysfunctional Families, Sociology of the Family, and Couples, Marriage, and Family Counseling.


 
Ch 1. Introduction: Variations in and Fluidity of Divorce Experiences and Outcomes
 
PART I: THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL TOOLS FOR STUDYING THE DIVORCE PROCESS
 
Ch 2. Conceptualizing Divorce Variation and Fluidity
 
Ch 3. Research Methods for Stuyding Variation and Fluidity in Divorce
 
Ch 4. Divorce and Family Transitions in Societal Context
 
PART II: THE DIVORCE PROCESS AND ITS MULTIPLE PATHWAYS
 
Ch 5. Variations in Predivorce Family Environments and Trajectories
 
Ch 6. Variations in Separation and Uncoupling
 
Ch 7. Variation and Fluidity in Adult Adjustment to Divorce
 
Ch 8. Variation and Fluidity in Children's Adjustment to Divorce
 
Ch 9. Adult and Child Experiences of Multiple Family Structure Transitions
 
PART III: FUTURE DIRECTIONS
 
Ch 10. Implications and Conclusions
 
References

This is a great book but did not have activities for students to do. I could possibly use this for a class where theory was more the focus. Well written and informative. Highly recommended but not so if you are looking more for a combination of approaches to teaching material in one text.

Professor Sharon James
Humanities Div, Cincinnati State Technology / Community College
January 10, 2011
Key features
  • Themes focusing on the fluid nature of divorce and variability in responses to divorce tie material together and present readers with a rich depiction of the divorce process that is missing in many books on the subject.
  • Examples illustrate key points regarding fluidity and variability and bring material alive to readers. 
  • Attention is devoted to research methods, pointing out both limitations of some prevailing methods and suggestions for new or underutilized methodological approaches for studying the divorce process.

Sage College Publishing

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