Which of the following is best supported by research as a cause of the negative outcomes linked to divorce?

Which of the following is best supported by research as a cause of the negative outcomes linked to divorce?

• A. Parental conflict
• B. Economic hardship
• C. Age of the children
• D. Amount of child support

Answer: (A)

Parental conflict is the strongest predictor of how children fare after divorce. When conflict persists—arguing, hostility, triangulation, or undermining each other’s parenting—it creates a chronically stressful home environment. This undermines parenting quality, reduces warmth and consistency, and signals to children that the family world is unsafe. The resulting insecurity and disrupted parent–child bonds are linked to a range of difficulties, including behavioral problems, emotional distress, and academic challenges. Economic hardship can contribute to stress, but its impact is less reliable once you account for parenting quality and the level of conflict. The age of the children can influence how they experience adjustment, but research consistently points to ongoing parental conflict as the more robust factor. The amount of child support affects resources, yet it does not directly shape the day-to-day emotional climate that drives children’s outcomes. So the evidence best supports parental conflict as the primary driver of the negative outcomes linked to divorce.

Parental conflict is the strongest predictor of how children fare after divorce. When conflict persists—arguing, hostility, triangulation, or undermining each other’s parenting—it creates a chronically stressful home environment. This undermines parenting quality, reduces warmth and consistency, and signals to children that the family world is unsafe. The resulting insecurity and disrupted parent–child bonds are linked to a range of difficulties, including behavioral problems, emotional distress, and academic challenges.

Economic hardship can contribute to stress, but its impact is less reliable once you account for parenting quality and the level of conflict. The age of the children can influence how they experience adjustment, but research consistently points to ongoing parental conflict as the more robust factor. The amount of child support affects resources, yet it does not directly shape the day-to-day emotional climate that drives children’s outcomes.

So the evidence best supports parental conflict as the primary driver of the negative outcomes linked to divorce.