CDS Emotional and Psychological Aspects of Divorce 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A child who begins wetting the bed and throwing tantrums after parents announce separation is most likely exhibiting:
- Conduct disorder
- Regression to an earlier developmental stage (Correct answer)
- Oppositional defiant disorder
- Separation anxiety disorder
Correct answer: Regression to an earlier developmental stage
Regression—reverting to behaviors of an earlier developmental stage—is a common stress response in children adjusting to parental divorce.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes 'parental alienation syndrome' concerns in a divorce context?
- A child's natural preference to live with one parent
- A pattern where one parent manipulates the child to reject the other parent (Correct answer)
- A legal strategy to gain sole custody
- A child's temporary anger at the parent who initiated divorce
Correct answer: A pattern where one parent manipulates the child to reject the other parent
Parental alienation involves one parent systematically undermining the child's relationship with the other parent through manipulation and negative messaging.
Question 3: Post-traumatic growth following divorce is characterized by:
- Complete elimination of negative emotions
- Positive psychological change emerging from struggle with highly challenging circumstances (Correct answer)
- Quick return to pre-divorce functioning levels
- Avoidance of any reminders of the marriage
Correct answer: Positive psychological change emerging from struggle with highly challenging circumstances
Post-traumatic growth, conceptualized by Tedeschi and Calhoun, refers to meaningful positive change that can emerge from the struggle with major life crises like divorce.
Question 4: A CDS professional observing a client who oscillates between actively grieving the marriage and engaging in future-oriented restoration activities is witnessing which grief model?
- Kübler-Ross five-stage model
- Dual Process Model of coping with bereavement (Correct answer)
- Continuing bonds theory
- Tasks of mourning model
Correct answer: Dual Process Model of coping with bereavement
The Dual Process Model (Stroebe & Schut) describes healthy grief as oscillating between loss-oriented coping and restoration-oriented coping.
Question 5: Which factor is most predictive of long-term psychological well-being after divorce?
- Speed of the divorce proceedings
- Level of ongoing parental conflict post-divorce (Correct answer)
- Whether the divorce was contested or uncontested
- The financial settlement outcome
Correct answer: Level of ongoing parental conflict post-divorce
Research consistently shows that sustained parental conflict after divorce is the strongest predictor of poor psychological outcomes for both children and adults.
Question 6: Identity disruption during divorce most commonly involves:
- Loss of professional identity
- Destabilization of the 'married self' and renegotiation of personal identity (Correct answer)
- Changes to religious beliefs
- Shifts in political affiliation
Correct answer: Destabilization of the 'married self' and renegotiation of personal identity
Divorce fundamentally disrupts the 'married identity,' requiring individuals to reconstruct their sense of self outside the marital role.
Question 7: When helping clients manage anger during divorce, a CDS professional should primarily focus on:
- Suppressing angry feelings to maintain civility
- Channeling anger as information about unmet needs and boundary violations (Correct answer)
- Encouraging clients to express anger directly to their ex-spouse
- Prescribing medication for anger management
Correct answer: Channeling anger as information about unmet needs and boundary violations
Therapeutically, anger is viewed as an emotion that signals unmet needs or violated boundaries, making it informative rather than simply destructive.
CDS Emotional and Psychological Aspects of Divorce 3
A child who begins wetting the bed and throwing tantrums after parents announce separation is most likely exhibiting: