The major purpose of this pilot study is to determine the feasibility of implementing a reproducible, preventive intervention program to enhance coping outcomes with mothers and their young children following marital separation. A two-group experiment was used with 21 mothers experiencing recent marital separation and their 3 to 6-year-old children. Experimental group mothers received the Creating Opportunitiesfor Parent Empowerment (COPE) Intervention Program, which consisted of audiotaped information and behavioral activities to enhance parenting effectiveness and coping outcomes in their children. Comparison group mothers received information and activities related to normal growth and development of preschool children. Trends in the data and effect sizes revealed positive short-term outcomes over a 3½-month study period on nearly all measures for mothers and children who received the COPE Intervention Program. Afull-scale study is now being planned to determine both short and long-term effects of the COPE Intervention Program.
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