Survey of Existing Programs—2008

To my knowledge no one has done a more recent update of this list of programs, but in 2008, there were many states and counties with programs.

Pollet, S. L., & Lombreglia, M. (2008). A NATIONWIDE SURVEY OF MANDATORY PARENT EDUCATION*. Family Court Review, 46(2), 375-394.

Some General Characteristics of Mandated Divorce Education Programs

Geasler, M. J., & Blaisure, K. R. (1998). A review of divorce education program materials. Family Relations, 167-175.

Geelhoed, R. J., Blaisure, K. R., & Geasler, M. J. (2001). STATUS OF COURT‐CONNECTED PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS ARE SEPARATING OR DIVORCING. Family Court Review, 39(4), 393-404.

Cost-Benefit Analysis of Divorce Education

Too my knowledge there is only one study that examines the cost-benefits of divorce education and this study only examines 1 very intensive program “New Beginnings,” but this work does provide a framework for thinking about the costs and benefits of divorce education in general.

Herman, P., Mahrer, N., Wolchik, S., Porter, M., Jones, S., & Sandler, I. (2015). Cost-Benefit Analysis of a Preventive Intervention for Divorced Families: Reduction in Mental Health and Justice System Service Use Costs 15 Years Later. Prevention Science, 16(4), 586-596. doi:10.1007/s11121-014-0527-6

Brief Divorce Education Programs—Face-to-Face with effectiveness

Children In-Between

Research on Effectiveness of Children In-Between

Arbuthnot, J., & Gordon, D. A. (1996). Does mandatory divorce education for parents work? A six-month outcome evaluation. Family & Conciliation Courts Review, 34(1), 60-81.

Arbuthnot, J., Kramer, K. M., & Gordon, D. A. (1997). Patterns of relitigation following divorce education. Family & Conciliation Courts Review, 35(3), 269-279.

Kramer, K. M., Arbuthnot, J., Gordon, D. A., Rousis, N. J., & Hoza, J. (1998). Effects of skill-based versus information-based divorce education programs on domestic violence and parental communication. Family & Conciliation Courts Review, 36(1), 9-31.

Focus on Kids– http://focusonkids.missouri.edu/

 Schramm, D. G., & Calix, S. (2011). Focus on kids: Evaluation of a research-based divorce education program. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 52(7), 529-549.

Research on Effectiveness of Various other Programs

 Brandon, D. J. (2006). Can Four Hours Make a Difference? Evaluation of a Parent Education Program for Divorcing Parents. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 45(1-2), 171-185. doi:10.1300/J087v45n01_09

Brotherson, S. E., White, J., & Masich, C. (2010). Parents forever: An assessment of the perceived value of a brief divorce education program. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 51(8), 465-490. doi:10.1080/10502556.2010.504095

Kramer, L., & Kowal, A. (1998). Long-term follow-up of a court-based intervention for divorcing parents. Family & Conciliation Courts Review, 36(4), 452-465.

Laufer, H., & Berman, A. (2006). Surviving the Earthquake: Parent Education Program for Separated and Divorced Families–Examining of the Effectiveness. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 46(1-2), 135-149. doi:10.1300/J087v46n01_08

Whitehurst, D. H., O’Keefe, S. L., & Wilson, R. A. (2008). Divorced and Separated Parents in Conflict: Results from a True Experiment Effect of a Court Mandated Parenting Education Program. Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 48(3-4), 127-144. doi:10.1300/J087v48n03_08

Brief Online Divorce Education Programs

 Many states have been moving to online divorce education programs.  There is wide variation in the quality and/or effectiveness of these programs.

 Bowers, J. R., Mitchell, E. T., Hardesty, J. L., & Hughes, R. (2011). A review of online divorce education programs. Family Court Review, 49(4), 776-787. doi:

Schramm, D. G., & McCaulley, G. (2012). Divorce education for parents: A comparison of online and in-person delivery methods. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 53(8), 602-617.

Brief Programs for Unmarried Parents (face-to-face & online)

Rudd, B. N., Holtzworth-Munroe, A., Reyome, J. G., Applegate, A. G., & D’Onofrio, B. M. (2015). Randomized control trial: Online parent program and waiting period for unmarried parents in Title IV-D court. Journal of Family Psychology, 29(5), 679.

Programs for Fathers

Cookston, J. T., Braver, S. L., Griffin, W. A., De Lusé, S. R., & Miles, J. C. (2007). Effects of the Dads for Life Intervention on Interparental Conflict and Coparenting in the Two Years after Divorce. Family Process.Special Issue: Divorce and its Aftermath, 46(1), 123-137. doi:10.1111/j.1545-5300.2006.00196.x

Robin Dion, M., Zaveri, H., & Holcomb, P. (2015). Responsible Fatherhood Programs in the Parents and Children Together (PACT) Evaluation. Family Court Review, 53(2), 292-303.

Programs to Prepare Families for Mediation

Kitzmann, K. M., Parra, G. R., & Jobe‐Shields, L. (2012). A review of programs designed to prepare parents for custody and visitation mediation. Family Court Review, 50(1), 128-136. doi:10.1111/j.1744-1617.2011.01434.x

Robertson, J. P., & Pryor, J. (2011). Evaluation of an information program for separating parents. Journal of Family Studies, 17(1), 24-35.

Programs to Prevent Divorce and Deal with Marital Conflict

Cummings, E. M., Faircloth, W. B., Mitchell, P. M., Schermerhorn, A. C., & Cummings, J. S. (2008). Evaluating a brief prevention program for improving marital conflict in community families. Journal of Family Psychology, 22(2), 193-202. doi:10.1037/0893-3200.22.2.193

Faircloth, W. B., & Cummings, E. M. (2008). Evaluating a parent education program for preventing the negative effects of marital conflict. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 29(2), 141-156. doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2007.12.004

Intensive Programs for Parents & Children—New Beginnings

Wolchik, S., Sandler, I., Weiss, L., & Winslow, E. (. (2007). New Beginnings: An empirically-based program to help divorced mothers promote resilience in their children. Hoboken, NJ, US: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Wolchik, S. A., Sandler, I. N., Jones, S., Gonzales, N., Doyle, K., Winslow, E., . . . Braver, S. L. (2009). The new beginnings program for divorcing and separating families: Moving from efficacy to effectiveness. Family Court Review, 47(3), 416-435.

Wolchik, S. A., Sandler, I. N., Jones, S., Gonzales, N., Doyle, K., Winslow, E., . . . Braver, S. L. (2009). The new beginnings program for divorcing and separating families: Moving from efficacy to effectiveness. Family Court Review, 47(3), 416-435.

Effectiveness of Children’s Programs

Pedro-Carroll, J. L. (2005). Fostering Resilience in the Aftermath of Divorce: The Role of Evidence-Based Programs for Children. Family Court Review.Special Issue on Prevention: Research, Policy, and Evidence-Based Practice, 43(1), 52-64. doi:10.1111/j.1744-1617.2005.00007.x

Other Evidence Regarding Effectiveness of Divorce Education Programs & Processes

Criddle, M. N., Jr., Allgood, S. M., & Piercy, K. W. (2003). The relationship between mandatory divorce education and level of post-divorce parental conflict. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 39(3-4), 99-111. doi:10.1300/J087v39n03_05