Custodial Arrangements and Parental Conflict following Divorce: The Impact on Children's Adjustment

Abstract

This article presents a review of the substantial literature concerned with the question of how children from divorced families adjust under different custodial arrangements. Existing empirical research tends to be methodologically weak, and the results reported have been inconsistent. Moreover, the level of interparental conflict present in the family before and after the divorce appears to be a powerful mediating variable that affects children's adaptation to different custodial situations. It is concluded that custodial decisions should be made on an individual basis, with no presumption that custody should be awarded to either the mother or the father. It is clear that regardless of the decision regarding custody, parents should be educated regarding the importance of avoiding overt hostility and establishing a workable co-parenting relationship.