The Relationship Between Parental Coping Strategies and Children's Adaptive Processes in Divorced and Intact Families

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between parental coping strategies and children's coping strategies in both divorced and intact families. The relationship between parental coping strategies and social support within family social climate of both marital configurations is also examined. Parentchild dyads from divorced homes (n = 61) and intact homes (n = 61) voluntarily partici- pated in this study. Significant relationships were observed between parental coping strategies, levels of cohesion in the family environ- ment, and children's coping strategies; however, Ulese relationships were exclusive to divorced families. It was intriguing hat parental coping efforts were found to be exclusively associated with children's maladaptive coping on a global level and did not appear to influence children's coping strategies on a specific level.