Effects of Divorce

EFFECTS OF DIVORCE ON CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM
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DIVORCEON CHILDREN INTHE
CLASSROOM
Running head: EFFECTS OF DIVORCE ON CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM
Effects of Divorce on Children

Jessica F. Maemone
College of Staten Island
Overall, well done. The results is very nicely objective and clear, and your
insights in the discussion are important and well-supported with both observation
and citations. Do pelase wrok a bit on the overall structure and flow of the paper,
but the ideas you express in it are fantastic. Really, well done!
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Abstract
Divorce is an experience that unfortunately affects a large number of early
childhood and elementary students. An intervention was conducted with ten children,
three days a week, three hours each day for one month, with the target population of
three years of age. Each child had an individualized behavioral plan (IBP), listing goals
that each student should accomplish by the end of one-month intervention. A token
Deleted: Runninghead:EFFECTSOF DIVORCE ON

CHILDRENINTHECLASSROOM
Formatted: Right: 3.81", Width: 11", Height: 17"
Comment [El Samuel1]: A few quick points before I start:
1. I deleted all of the previous comments so that all
comments are now news ones. Sometimes I could
actually delete the old comments, but sometimes they
were left ni but just exed out. Sorry, I'm not sure why,
and don't know how to change this.
2. I'm sure I'll make revisions to text that I didn't before.
system, which is a system of behavior modification through positive reinforcement, will
(i.e., revise text now that you didn't change from last
be provided for all students. The intervention helped these children experiencing
sorry, it's just the nature of editing to find new changes to
divorce make progress with their separation anxiety; attain a reduction in their targetted,
time). This can start to look like I'm being capricious; I'm
make in old text and even reject past changes.
3. Like last time, instead of making the same sort of
disruptive behaviors; and generally have a more successful classroom experience.
change throughout, I'll mention it early on (when I first

see it) and ask you to simply make this sort of change
Keywords: Children, divorce, token system, separation anxiety, IBP

(individualized behavioral plan)
throughout.
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Comment [El Samuel2]: Throughout, please change to
past tense except for timeless statements (like the ones
about token systems that closely follows).
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Comment [El Samuel3]: This sentence isn't bad, it just
doesn't add so much to the abstract (it could instead be
discussed in the intro).
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changes of the students.
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Introduction and Literature Review

Divorce affects a large number of children today. Parents play a vital role in their
childs development. One of their roles in their childs lives is that of a role model. They
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Comment [El Samuel4]: These first two sentences both
must also provide emotional support and assistance throughout their childs lives. (Kelly
have the feel of topic sentences; please split this into two
& Emery, 2003) Divorce can strain parents abilities to fill these responsibilities is an
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additional stress added to their lives and can present several challenges for optimal
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functioning among those affected: the children, parents, and even teachers. Teachers
need to create strategies and lesson plans in which children can strive and get through
hard times. My goal is to educate my students to overcome the adversity of divorce.
paragraphs or otherwise modify this.
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Comment [El Samuel5]: This also could be the start of a
new paragraph.
Comment [El Samuel6]: Is it really to educaste them
about it? Isn't it more modifying their behavior and
An intervention will be conducted on ten threeyear-old children, three days a

week for three hours each day. The general goal was for all students, especially those
experiencing divorce, to have a successful experience in the classroom. To assess
helping reduce anxiety/stress?

Comment [El Samuel7]: Do please try to make a bit better
transition between this and the previous paragraph.
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whether this is happening, I will track specific aspects of each childs behavior and
measure the progress of those targetted behaviors over one month.
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At the core of the intervention is a token system, which is a system of behavior
Deleted: The outcome I hope to achieve is for all students,

especially the children experiencing divorce, to have a
successful experience in the classroom.
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modification through positive reinforcement. A token system is a great way to track the
Comment [El Samuel8]: Really just changing it to an
behavior changes of the students. These types of data are readily accessible, do not
active voice.
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require additional data-collecting procedures and are likely to be seen being applied
Comment [El Samuel9]: Forno good reason, the word

data is plural
within a school system (Riley-Tillman & Chafouleas, 2003). According to Riley-
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Tillman and Chafouleas, a token system works well because it collects data by utilizing
significant opportunities to allow for teachers to reinvent the wheel. It gives the child
a reason to do better without even realizing the progress made over a period of time.
Each week, I will give the children a different token for good behavior. The first week,
the children will get stickers. Gradually the token will get bigger and better over a month
span. The last week of my intervention, I will give each child a mini book pertaining
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Comment [El Samuel10]: Nice use of a citation
Deleted: to the study conducted by
Comment [El Samuel11]: It's a nit picky, but the
convention is to use an ampersand within the
parentheses, but and in the text itself.
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Comment [El Samuel12]: The rest of this paragraph would
specifically to each individuals interest. Throughout the month, I will observe closely
the four students who are affected by divorce.
be better placed in the Procdure section. Instead maybe

discuss the further advantages of using a token system
with such young children.
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I will create an Individualized Behavioral Plan (IBP) for each student, listing
Deleted: ing
goals that each child should accomplish by the end of my intervention. It is important
that the plan created for each student meets his or her individual needs and assists the
Deleted: will
children dealing with divorce to control their separation anxiety and disruptive
Comment [El Samuel13]: Instead of just saying that the
behaviors. Since the target population is only three years old, I have to set small goals
that are obtainable based on their age. The literature supports that through a token
economy an accessible data collection will be obtained.
literature does this, please cite where it says this.

Comment [El Samuel14]: This section would go better
near the top of your intro, when you discuss the effects of
divorse on children.
Comment [El Samuel15]: Just give the last name inthe text.
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Hetherington, (1993) supports how divorce affects children focusing on
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behavioral problems. Hetherington reports that 90% of boys and girls in mother/father
families were diagnosed to be within the normal range of behaviors for their age, while
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10% had serious problems that required professional help. The statistics of
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mother/father families are surprising when comparing to the percentages for divorced
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families. The percent of children from divorced families that are within the normal range
of behaviors decreased drastically, with only 74% of the boys and 66% of the girls from
divorced families within the normal range, while 26% of the boys and 34% of the girls
behaviors diagnosed as being in the problematic range. It is interesting that Hetherington
found girls to be more strongly affected by divorce than boys.
Comment [El Samuel16]: Much better!

Deleted: divorse
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assistance ranged higher then
Comment [El Samuel17]: So, you see, just beinga little
more stingy with how many words I use. Generally, this
form of writingtries to be succinct.
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Morrison and Cherlin (1995) studied the consequences of divorce on the childs
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behavior problems and academic achievement using the National Longitudinal Survey
of Youth: Child Supplement data. They found that boys are at a higher risk of displaying
disruption problems in school. This data are different than the data collected from
Hetherington because they show that boys are more disruptive. A misconception of the
data collected in this article that I would like to further look into is the severity of the
disruptive behavior.
Morrison and Cherlin made an interesting point that it is not the actual event of
the divorce; it is the multistage process of family change that is damaging to the child.
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Comment [El Samuel18]: Again, just tryingto be more
terse
Comment [El Samuel19]: I'm not sure my choice is better.
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Comment [El Samuel20]: Remember, for no good reason,
data is plural.
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Comment [El Samuel21]: Excellent observation

They made the argument that the longer the experience of disruption the harder it was
for the childs well-being and growth of development. Children need a nurturing,
pleasant environment. The conflict and difficulties that lead up to the divorce usually
occur prior to the divorce and the children have to modify their lives accordingly.
Morrison and Cherlin refer to this time period as a crisis period, which occurs two to
three years after the actual divorce. Our jobs as teachers is to focus on how the child
adjusts in the period of time when the child experiences dramatic changes to their every
day lives.
Leon (2004) discusses separation anxiety, how the child feels very anxious
when saying goodbye. She addresses the signs to look for in a child that has severe
Comment [El Samuel22]: This paragraph is also great. Im

veryhappy to see yourthoughts and further explorationof
the ideas and points people bringup.
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separation anxiety disorder. Leon states that toddlers have a limited ability to express
their feelings verbally. It is quite beneficial for an adult to help the child understand and
express what he or she is feeling. According to Leon, toddlers understand that mommy
is not at home but do not understand the why factor and/or the time frame. Webb, (2007)
addresses intervention strategies for a child of divorce dealing with separation anxiety.
Webb talks about school-based play therapy and how this type of therapy is beneficial
Comment [El Samuel23]: I'm being nearly redundant, but

one can express things through, e.g., body language.
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Comment [El Samuel24]: Please change to this format for
citing throughout (i.e., whenthe author is the
subject/object of a sentence only last name(s) and then
the date in parentheses.)
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for young children. In her intervention she has a solution-oriented counseling for
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(
children in crisis after the play therapy. This type of intervention allows children to
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express their feelings both in words and through active play.

(Strohschein, 2005) describes divorce as producing vulnerability in some
children and resiliency in others. This study examines the childs life both before and
after the divorce. This is questionable because it would be very difficult to examine a
Comment [El Samuel25]: Might go better before of after

the Leon paragraph. Or maybe instead simply moving
the Webb paragraph down more.
Deleted: L.
child prior to the divorce. This is a rather lengthy and in depth process that would be a
great analysis if it were more feasible. Strohscheins study concluded the main reasons
for divorce is the shift of economic structures, less time for family life and spousal
abuse. She states that children whose parents are divorced dysfunctional families are
more likely to have child anxiety or depression rather than antisocial behaviors. Divorce
should not be characterized by using the word dysfunctional, this gives a negative
stigma to someones family life.
In some cases divorce benefits the child and actually removes them from danger
and unhappiness. It is not beneficial for the child to live in an unsafe household where
the parents are together versus a safe household with only one parent. The childs safety
Comment [El Samuel26]: These are all nice digests of the

articles. Do please tryto make overall conclusionsabout
them a bit more, too.
Comment [El Samuel27]: Please try to be a little more,
well, formal in your writing her, e.g., using fewer slangy
expressions.
Deleted: is a good thing for
is of highest concern and in some cases children are better off not having two parents at
home. (Brody, 1994) discusses how a family function affects child development. He
mentions that society assumes that a parent-child living situation with one parent, have
Comment [El Samuel28]: This should also be a new

paragraph. Also, do please try to make stronger
connections between the paragraphs. (Practising doing
repercussions for childs development. It is not valid to state that because parents are
so between this and the next paragraph may be a great
divorced the child suffers consequences. The child has a different lifestyle that he/she
better connection.
has to adjust to, but in some cases this is not a negative but a positive matter.
place to start since they are very related and could use a
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(Kelly and Emery, 2003) made the argument that some two family households
are not always nurturing and do not provide happy environments. They discussed the

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discriminating viewpoint of divorce by the media. Divorce is negatively perceived

through the media which Kelly and Emery stress should not be viewed this way.
Sometimes divorce is necessary and actually helps the children get away from negative
environments. The stressors of the divorce process were also looked at closely. They
found that the factors varied from child to child, family to family and over time. Kelly
and Emery discuss their intervention on divorce education by implementing programs
that focus on known risk factors for children and assist parents to demonstrate more
nurturing behaviors to enhance childrens longer-term adjustment to the divorce.
(Guidubaldi and Cleminshaw 1985) took a rather different approach by focusing
on the childs physical health rather then on mental health issues. They examined the
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stressful environmental conditions and the individuals ability to adapt to divorce, which
they classify as the onset of a disease. This is remarkable because I have never thought
of divorce actually making a child physically ill. They explain that when a child gives up
hope they can physically deteriorate. It is awful that a child could be so devastated from
a divorce that they make themselves physically ill. This is when my intervention can be
conducted. The child needs to discuss his/her feelings and understand that the child is
not to be blamed.
The main strategies that have been used to address the problems of divorce for
Comment [El Samuel29]: Again, pleae tryto bringthese

ideas together into big picture inferences about the
effects of divorse onhealth, stress, etc. Maybe have a
paragrpah here that sums up what these all say.
young children are play therapy, counseling for both children and parents and read
alouds. (Mo, 2007) talks about divorce culture and the use of literature as a way of
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easing the process of divorce for young children. I think it is interesting to use literature
as a way of coping with the loss of a parent. Developmentally it is difficult for children
to have cognitive control of the complexities of divorce (Mo). Young childrens
Comment [El Samuel30]: Yeah, whenyou make a point and

thenneed to support it with a citation, thisis the correct
way to do it. Well done.
vocabulary is at the beginning of developing, so picture books act as a powerful
Deleted: , 2007
intervention for the students to express themselves.

The work of these authors argue that a child's individual needs must be addressed
in order for him/her to manage his/her own behavior. Each child deals with the divorce
of his/her parents differently, hence the reason why individual goals need to be made. It
is seen throughout the literature that students react differently to divorce, so we need to
focus on the coping mechanisms to help our students.
Comment [El Samuel31]: Good intro. Simplyadd a bit

more summarization and youre set.
Deleted: roughout the studies I have researched on children
dealing with divorce, it is evident
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Deleted: a child
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Comment [El Samuel32]: Yeah, I don't really think that
his/her is better, but unfortunately their is not correct
for this style.
Deleted: their
Comment [El Samuel33]: Not bad. The last sentence and
the beginning of the first are kinda the same, so please
try to rework the order of the thoughts here. Otherwise,
this is a god summary.
The Intervention
Aim:
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Students dealing with divorce will be able to succeed in the classroom emotionally,
socially and mentally.
Objectives:
To learn about the different types of families
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The child is able to understand and talk about his/her own feelings.
The child understands the perspective of others and realizes that their feelings
may be different from his/her own feelings.
The child is able to establish relationships with adults and maintains an ongoing
friendship with at least one other child.
The child is able to engage in and stay with an activity for a reasonable amount
of time with minimal adult support.
Comment [El Samuel34]: Might a bit hard to measure

objectivelyunless you have prearranged situations
(groups) set up forthem to tryto enter
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The child is able to enter a group successfully.
Cognitive:
Students will be able to identify what they are feeling.
Affective domain:
Students will be able to work together with at least one other student.
Students will be able to help clean up in the classroom.
Psychomotor:
Comment [El Samuel35]: Are these for all of the students

experiencing divorce? Maybe somehow indicate that
these goals for each student constitute a sub-set of these
overall goals?
Students will be able to record their behavior charts.

Students will be able to pedal on a bicycle.
Students will be able to utilize manipulatives, different types of dramatic play
and block area.
Outcomes:
The child is able to sit for circle time.
The child is able to work with another child during free play.
The child is able to communicate what he or she is feeling.
The child is able to share at the playground.
The child is able to self-evaluate (meta cognition)
Participants: Ten three-year-old students in a small nursery school participated in this
intervention; children came from middle class families. There is one head teacher and
Comment [El Samuel36]: These are excellent, Jessica.

There are a lot, though, so well see next semester if we
need to trim these downto a somewhat smallernumberof
objectives. But, fornow, this is great and showsagain
considerable reflectionand understanding.
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two assistant teachers in the classroom. Since each child has someone drop them off and
pick them up, I am able to talk directly with each caretaker and obtain information about
their child(ren)'s background, their home environment, and their on-going behavior.
Comment [El Samuel37]: Or seomthing like that.
Pre-Assessment: Information cards on each child, stating information about parents,
Deleted: get direct contact and information from the caregiver

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siblings and allergies.

Procedure: Coached Practice
Mini Lesson:
Introduction: (5 minutes)
I will introduce the topic by asking the children, What did you do over the weekend?
Comment [El Samuel38]: Please give a bit moer

information.

Did you go with Mommy and Daddy or just Mommy? As the children respond, I will
get a sense of who the children are in contact with the most. This will be open for
discussion, allowing students to verbalize their feelings.
Motivational Activity: (7 minutes)
I will do a read aloud of Its Not Your Fault, Koko Bear by Vicki Lansky
The following 3 Key Questions will be asked to the students.
Key Question: What do you see on the cover of this book?
Key Question: What does your family look like?
Key Question: Does Mommy and Daddy work?
Lesson Development: (45 minutes)
Assess prior knowledge: Did you like the book?
I will be asking the students these questions in a whole class discussion.
Key Question: Who was your favorite character?
Key Question: How was Koko feeling? How was Mommy feeling? How was Daddy
feeling? (to get the children used to expressing and understanding feelings)
Free Play:
I will allow the children to go to a station they are most interested in.
The students will have the choice to go to the art table, rice table, book
area, dramatic play area or the manipulative/block area. They will be
encouraged to go to at least 2 of the stations.
Art Table: Art supplies where the children can create finger puppets.
Also, at the easel have paint brushes and water colors.
Rice Table: Children can sort and pile rice, familiarize themselves with textures.
Dramatic Play Area: Children can act out through imaginative play/role play. In this
area, dress up clothes, couches, kitchen with food manipulatives and babies are set up.
Book Area: Classroom library is located here. There are always at least 2 books per
child. This area is constantly changed; according to class interests, time of year and
seasons.
Manipulative Area/Block Area: In this area there is a shelf that has puzzles, blocks,
strings/beads, trucks and mini people.
Playground: (30 minutes)
The students have balls, bicycles, a large sand area and cars available for them.
Wash hands/Snack Time: (20 minutes)
Circle Time: (15 minutes)


We sing the Family song. (Sung to 10 Little Indians)

Some have fathers,
Some have mothers,
Some have sisters,
Some have brothers.
In some houses,
There are others.
Every family's special
Unknown Song Writer
Read aloud, Mama and Daddy Bear's Divorce by Cornelia Maude Spelman
Assessments:
The behavior chart
Participate in two or more of the stations
Goals/Rewards by Week:
Week 1: 2 minutes to sit at circle time, go to at least one station
Reward: sticker
Week 2: 2 minutes to sit at circle time, go to at least two stations, throwing away their
garbage at snack time
Reward: stamp and a sticker of their choice
Week 3: 3 minutes to sit at circle time, go to at least two stations but trying out a new
station, throwing away their garbage at snack time and sharing their toys on the
playground
Reward: pencil and a stamp of their choice
Week 4: to sit for the majority of circle time, go to at three stations but trying out a new
station, throwing away their garbage at snack time and sharing their toys on the
playground and during free play
Reward: book according to childs individual interest and sticker of their choice
Materials:
10 Behavior charts
10 IBPs
It's Not Your Fault, Koko Bear by Vicki Lansky
Comment [El Samuel39]: This is verycute. Did you get it

somewhere oris this yourown?

Mama and Daddy Bear's Divorce by Cornelia Maude Spelman

Success of the intervention would look like
Child-centered programs, to assist in helping to relieve the negative feelings
Positive support system
Child needs to communicate issues, problems, questions relating to the divorce.
The child realizes that he/she is not to blame. The child needs to understand that
daddy/mommy loves them very much.
Child needs to adjust to the situation Behavior Chart: Example
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Handouts: (see below)
________________________________ Daily Behavior Plan

Days
Monday
Wednesday
Friday
Keep
Hands to
Yourself
Sharing
Oops
Sit for
Circle Time
Comment [El Samuel40]: So, will theyfill inspecificwords
here? I.e., predetermined words? Im not sure your
assessments are goingto be enough to assess your
objectives, butagainwe can address this more next
semester.
Classroom Reward Chart
Deleted:
Deleted: s (will be modified)

Results
Demographics/Participants: Ten three-year-old students in a small nursery school;
children come from middle class families. Four of the ten children are dealing with
divorce. There is one head teacher and two assistant teachers in the classroom.
Assessment of Outcomes:
During week one, every child except for Rosie, sat for at least two minutes for
circle time and went to at least one station. Rosie did not sit for circle time and decided
to sit at the table instead of interacting with her classmates. Once the entire class
Comment [El Samuel41]: O.K., you can have this either in

the Procedure or here, but both aren't necessary. Maybe
instead give the pseudonyms for the students
experiencing divorce and a bit more about htem and their
lives.
Comment [El Samuel42]: Mention the figure that gives
their behaviors over the weeks.
Comment [El Samuel43]: pseudonyms, right? Please put
received a sticker, Rosie kicked and screamed because she wanted a sticker too. Hence
during week two, Rosie sat for 2 minutes at circle time and went to Drama station and
Manipulative station. She also threw away her garbage at snack time, so she was
rewarded with a Dora stamp and sticker. Rosie received a reward every time except for
their names in scare quotes the first time (or

parenthetically note they're pseudonyms). Also make it
clear that these are the students who are experiencing
divorce.
Comment [El Samuel44]: Did you do anythying to explain
it to her, etc.? Whether or not you did seems important
for replicating this/explaining the underlying causes (i.e.,
week one.
is it you changing them or them kinda changing

themselves.)
During week three, all students sat for three minutes at circle time, went
Deleted: Dora
to at least two stations; trying out a new station, threw away their garbage at
snack time and were sharing their toys on the playground. All students were
rewarded with a pencil and a stamp of their choice. I read books about divorce
aloud at circle time.
During week four, all students except for Salvatore sat for the majority of
circle time (i.e., X minutes), went to at least three stations; trying out a new
station, threw away their garbage at snack time and shared their toys on the
playground and during free play. The children were rewarded with a book
according to the childs individual interest and sticker of their choice. Salvatore
did not get a reward because he had a tantrum at snack time. He threw his food
on the floor and refused to pick it up. Salvatore was asked to please not act that
way. He continued to grow angrier, screaming, throwing himself on the floors.
He kept shouting, No, I do not want to, I hate you, do not tell me what to do.
All the students were able to sit for circle time and work with another
child during free play by the end of my one-month intervention. Salvatore,
Deleted: , books on divorce

Samantha and Rosie were all able to communicate what he or she was feeling in
regards to the divorce each week. While Sophia, only could communicate about
the divorce a few number of times. The rewards and books that were used helped
the children meet the outcomes of the intervention.
Comment [El Samuel45]: This is excellent! Very clearly

and objectively stated.
The children were not all able to self-evaluate. Rosie and Sophia used metacognition as a way of expressing themselves. For example, Sophia said that she was sad
that daddy had to take care of us, that used to be mommys job. Mommy just left us, for
no reason. Samantha and Salvatore were not quite at that higher level of understanding
yet. It seemed as if they did not know why they were feeling a certain way.
The results of my intervention were that the behaviors of all four students dealing with
divorce improved. The student who had the hardest time with the divorce, Sophia,
improved the most. By the end of intervention, Sophia did not have tantrums when her
Comment [El Samuel46]: This could be a bit more

objective and detailed.
Comment [El Samuel47]: These are excellent, Jessica.
There are a lot, though, so well see next semester if we
need to trim these downto a somewhat smallernumberof
objectives. But, fornow, this is great and showsagain
considerable reflectionand understanding.
Deleted: behavior
babysitter dropped her off. Salvatore did not have as many incidents, his aggressive
behaviors decreased drastically by the end of the intervention.
I created an Individual Behavioral Plan for all students. I had individual clear,
Deleted: , Sophia,
Deleted: ,
Deleted: Rosie
Samantha
Comment [El Samuel48]: Hm, it would be good to
simple goals for each student. The IBPs are an easy way of assessing each individual
compare how much the students experiencing divorce
students progress in behavior.
that, so don't mention that here.
Discussion
All four students experiencing divorce made progress, with their separation
anxiety and disruptive behavior. All four students had successful experiences in the
iproved versus the control students, but we don't do
Deleted: The five children who were not dealing with divorce
acted as my constant variables.
Comment [El Samuel49]: After removing that one
sentence, this paragraph would be better placed in the
procedure (or just deleted).
classroom. My main objective for the intervention was effective. Every child in the
classroom improved and behaved well by the end of my intervention. The individual
daily behavior charts, IBPs, books on divorce, and the token system combined together,
worked well.
Comment [El Samuel50]: Good summary.
I believe my intervention was successful because I had direct contact with

parents or babysitters, so I was able to know what was going on day-to-day in the childs
lives. The children dealing with divorce had positive support from at least one parent.
Salvatore never knew a home where both parents were present. His parents divorced
when he was only six months. Morrison and Cherlin (1995) refer to this time period as a
crisis period, which occurs two to three years after the actual divorce. In this particular
instance, Salvatore did not have to adjust because there were no dramatic changes to his
Comment [El Samuel51]: Did you do this with the children

not going through a divorce as well? I.e., was the
stronger improvement among the children experiencing
divorce because of this?
Comment [El Samuel52]: It's a bit subjective when to give
the date, but do pelase give them again when you cite
them for the first time in the discussion.
every day life. Salvatore had aggressive behaviors; he did not get the discipline he
needed at home. He seems to get what he wants, when he wants it. Salvatore learned that
how he behaves at home is not acceptable at school.
Sophias IBP consisted of several mini goals. Goal 1, Sophia will communicate
with other students. Sophia had a very hard time communicating with anyone in the
Comment [El Samuel53]: This is very good. Do please

also talk about token systems a bit more again, and how
your results further suport their effectiveness.
Deleted: ndividualized Behavior Plan
classroom. She would cling to my leg and not leave it the entire time. According to
Leon, Sophia displayed signs of severe separation anxiety. Sophia needed to feel safe in
her environment and became overwhelmed easily by new experiences. As a coping
Deleted: possess
Deleted: the

mechanism, she walked around with some item from home. This was a way of getting
Sophia to feel a connection between home and school.
Goal 2, Sophia will play in the sand table. She did not enjoy anything that
required her to get her hands dirty. This was a hard goal for Sophia to meet. By giving
her a token after she did the specific task, after two weeks she went to the rice table
without being asked. Sophia did well with school-based play therapy. The interaction
with other children and with adults other than her parents or babysitter was a great
strategy for Sophia.
According to Hetherington, it was prevalent children from divorced families
were within the normal range of behaviors. The other students in the class had similar
behavior problems, but the children dealing with divorce just showed the behavior
Comment [El Samuel54]: I'm sorry, I don't understand this

sentence.
intensified. I did find that the girls were more strongly affected by divorce than boys. I
realize that the ratio of boys to girls was 3:1, but it seemed as if Salvatore and the girls
Deleted: ere
handled their feelings completely differently. Salvatore had aggressive behavior issues,
while Sophia, Rosie and Samantha internalized their pain.
Comment [El Samuel55]: Yeah, it's a small sample, but

nonetheless do talk a bit more about how their behaviors
I observed that each child communicated his or her issue at least once. Rosie told
do or don't typify what others found about male-female

differences. (Not a lot, but do a bit)
the other teacher in the classroom, she was not happy because mommy was going on
vacation. Rosie also said that she was sad, that mommy and daddy do not live in the
same house anymore. According to Webb, Rosie was aware that daddy is not at home
but does not understand the why factor and/or time frame.
Comment [El Samuel56]: These are great. I'm very

impressed with how you tie your observations together
I feel that the children had the hardest time realizing that he/she was not to
blame. This is a hard concept for a three-year old to comprehend. It is for the most part,
outside of the childs world. I think that the children understood that daddy and mommy
with the scholarship you've learned in researching this.
Comment [El Samuel57]: Why do you feel this way? I.e.,

what observations/conclusions make you feel this way?
loves them very much. All four students, on several occasions stated that mommy and
daddy love them.
It was very important for each student to test all of the stations in the classroom.
Sometimes children need to be encouraged to try new things. It was clear that most
Comment [El Samuel58]: Again please say why this is so.

Deleted: , test the waters
children enjoyed the art table. The art table had different art supplies set up each day,
where the children could create a variety of art projects to send home with them. Also,
there was an easel with paintbrushes and watercolors or Cray pods. There were two
students who refused to ever participate at the art table until the end of my intervention.
Rosie and Salvatore acted out how they were feeling through imaginative
play/role play in the dramatic play area. In this area, Rosie and Salvatore dressed up and
sat at the table. They pretended that Salvatore was daddy and Rosie was mommy. I saw
Rosie sit on the couch and say to Salvatore Please sit down and watch tv with me.
This was a different way of seeing how the children were dealing with the divorce.
The classroom library played an important role in Samanthas grieving process.
Comment [El Samuel59]: Again, very good.

She would go to the bookshelves, pick her favorite book and hold onto it the entire
school day. Samantha brought the book to the playground with her and would leave it on
the bench. This acted as Samanthas safety blanket.
The students learned that at the playground they must share balls, bicycles, and
cars. The children learned to implement, while certain areas of the playground were
occupied to go somewhere else. The students learned immediately that washing hands
and cleaning up their mess at snack time were rules that every child in the class needed
to follow.
Sophia had the hardest time adjusting to school because of her particular
situation. Her mother left her and her siblings. The dad works downtown and now has to
Comment [El Samuel60]: Here and elsewhere, maybe it

would be good to talk about how the students
experiencing divorce did or didn't differ from the othe
students in how they acted initially and after the
intervention.
raise his three children on his own. Sophia had severe separation anxiety issues. She
would throw tantrums for a good ten minutes, when her babysitter dropped her off.
Sophia did not socialize with the other children.
From lesson one to lesson twelve, Sophias behavior improved drastically. Her
father even wrote me a beautiful note about thanking me on how well she was adjusting.
Comment [El Samuel61]: : D
Sophia needed routine and structure. I asked her babysitter to make sure every day that
Deleted: had
she had a special surprise waiting , when she came to pick Sophia up from school.
Deleted: , when she came to pick Sophia up from school,
Sophia looked forward to it and made her realize that her babysitter was coming back
for her. She had a fear of being left alone. It was a challenge to get Sophia away from
her tantrums. We allowed Sophia to bring a book or stuffed animal to school, this acted
as her safety blanket. This worked for her and I would give her a reward after this
progressive behavior.
The books that I brought in about divorce really helped the children. They
seemed engaged on the carpet and answered questions thoroughly. Books on divorce
help children realize that they are not alone and families are all different. For example,
the book Mama and Daddy Bears Divorce demonstrated ways children can better cope
with divorce and how feeling sad and frightened is a part of the coping process.
Comment [El Samuel62]: Good! You supported your

conclusion well.
Deleted: allowed the

Deleted: to understand ways of
Deleted: ing
Salvatore had an aggressive approach to dealing with the divorce. He is not

affected by the actual divorce, but he is affected by the way his parents allow him to act.
They buy him whatever he wants and this effects how he behaves in school. He talks
back, says No a lot and uses his hands to solve his problems. He does not get the
concept of sharing.
During week one, the students were just getting used to the token system.
During week two, I started to see a slight change in their overall behavior. Three out of
the four students received a reward. The behavior problem of the student that did not get
a reward consisted of not sharing and pulling manipulatives out of another childs hand.
During week three all students received a reward and were getting used to the system.
During week four, the goal was for the children to sit for the majority of circle time, go
to at three stations but trying out a new station, throwing away their garbage at snack
Comment [El Samuel63]: Take this a bit further. Since he

didn't seem to be experiencing anxiety, did this change
how he reacted to the intervention?

time and sharing their toys on the playground and during free play. Salvatore did not get
a reward because he had a temper tantrum and threw his garbage on the floor. Salvatore
learned that he does not behave that way and get what he wants.
The token system allowed the children's behavrios to be modified through
positive reinforcement. It worked well because it gave the children a reason to do better
Comment [El Samuel64]: Good, but do please tie this in

better with the paragraph right above (and the idas in it).
Deleted: series of lessons done with the children using a
Deleted: ,
Deleted: a system of behavior
without even realizing the progress made over a period of time. Once the child earned a
Deleted: modification
reward for engaging in desirable behaviors and/or refraining from or decreasing certain
Deleted: It was a great way to track the behavior changes of

the students.
undesirable behaviors, the child gained a better understanding of what was expected of
Deleted: deeper
them. The token system was also a great way to track the behavior changes of the
Comment [El Samuel65]: Please explain why this is a
students. The behavior charts worked for the students as well. It is important for students
better way of teaching them what is expected of them

than, say, lecturing or punishing them.
to know what is expected of them and what they need to do in order to get a reward. The
behavior plans; emphasized listening, following directions and sharing.
I think that this intervention would work well for children up to age eight. I think
early elementary grades would do well with a token economy. Modifications would
need to be made, according to personal interests of individual students. I also think that a
teacher needs to really know their students, so they can plan accordingly.
In conclusion Sophia improved the most. Sophia can now enter the classroom.
Comment [El Samuel66]: Yeah, this is enough. I think

stating it quickly here is sufficient since you've gon into
good detail above.
She knows that her babysitter is coming to pick her up. Every child adjusted to the
routines of school. The token system worked very well on this set of students. The
children enjoyed the large visual token system set up in front of the classroom. They
learned to try new stations, share, follow directions and express how they were feeling.
My predictions were fairly accurate. Some children need positive reinforcement
and rewards to motivate them to try new things. It seemed as if the girls had a harder
Comment [El Samuel67]: Do please go more into why you

ink she improved the most andmore importantly here
what this has to say about working with other children in
these situations.
time dealing with separation anxiety issues. Salvatore had more of a defiant behavior. I
think the use of a visual in the class was a good way to get the students to see how they
were behaving and what their reward each week would be.
Limitations
One major limitation of my intervention was the number of students dealing with
divorce. It was comprised of only three girls and one boy. I would have liked to see how
other boys coping with divorce behaved. The comparison of boys to girls, I think would
have been very interesting. Since my study was very small, it was limiting.
Also time was a limitation. It would have been beneficial to continue with the
intervention until the end of the year. I did a lesson three times a week for one month,
doing more lessons would further continue growth in the students behavior.
Another major limitation was counseling. I think that if there were professionals
available at the school, it would help immensely. These students needed a one-to-one
venting session. The students age was another limitation because it is hard for these
children to verbally express how and what they were feeling. I think counseling would
have benefited these children, through the process of managing their feelings towards
Deleted: a 3:1 ratio of

Deleted: to
Deleted: s

the divorce.
Comment [El Samuel68]: Yeah, these are good

limitations. Well done!!! : D
References
Brody, G. (1994) Family processes and child and adolescent development. Family
Relations, 43(4), 359.
Guidubaldi, J. & Cleminshaw, H, (1985) Divorce, Family Health, and Child Adjustment.
and childrens academic performance. Family Relations, 34(1), 35-41
Hetherington, E. & Stanley-Hagan, M. Divorce and Children. (1999). The Adjustment
of Children with Divorced Parents: A Risk and Resiliency Perspective. Journal of Child
Psychology and Psychiatry, 40 (1), 129-140
Kelly, J. & Emery, R. (2003) Children's Adjustment following Divorce: Risk and
resilience perspectives. Family Relations, 52, 352-362.
Leon, K. (2004). Helping Infants and Toddlers Adjust to Divorce. Human Development
and Family Studies, 52(3), 258-270.
Mo, W. (2007). The Divorce Culture and Picture Books for Young Children.
International Journal of Early Childhood, 39, 23-35.
Morrison, D., & Cherlin, A. (1995). "The divorce process and young children's wellbeing: A prospective analysis." Journal of Marriage and the Family, 57, 800-812
Pedro-Carroll, J. L., & Cowen, E. L. (1985). The children of divorce intervention
program: An investigation of the efficacy of a school-based prevention program.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53(5), 603-611.
doi:10.1037/0022-006X.53.5.603
Riley-Tillman & Chafouleas S. (2003). Selecting the Right Tool for the Job: A Review
of
Behavior Monitoring Tools Used to Assess Student Response to Intervention.
The
California School Psychologist, 10, 8191.
Strohschein, L. (2005). Parental Divorce and Child Mental Health Trajectories. Journal
of Marriage and Family, 67(5), 1286-1300.
Webb, N. (2007). Play Therapy with Children in Crisis: Individual, Group, and Family
Treatment. Guilford Publications, 494.
Appendices: Ten Individual Behavioral Plans

Rosie IBP:
Rosie will walk into the classroom without having a tantrum.
Rosie will sit for circle time.
Rosie will work together with at least one other student.
Rosie will participate in extracurricular activities, Nature, Musical Munchkins and Super
Deleted: P
Deleted: C
Deleted: A
Deleted: D
Comment [El Samuel69]: Ditto for the other references.

Soccer.
Salvatore IBP:
Samantha will sit for circle time.
Samantha will participate in Musical Munchkins.
Samantha will use one petting finger to touch the animal when we have nature.
Salvatore IBP:
Salvatore will enter the classroom without talking back and screaming at teachers and
father.
Salvatore will only eat what is on his napkin.
Salvatore will sit for circle time on the rug.
Salvatore will do an art project.
Salvatore will put his jacket and backpack into his cubby.
Sophia IBP:
Sophia will communicate with other students.
Sophia will play in the sand table.
Sophia will put hands into paint.
Sophia will share the props in the drama section of the classroom with her other
classmates.
Sophia will use the bicycle that is given to her.
Makayla IBP:
Makayla will share at the playground.
Makayla will throw away her garbage at snack time.
Gracie IBP:
Gracie will sit for circle time.
Gracie will eat at snack time.
Brandon IBP:
Brandon will try the dramatic play area.
Brandon will not knock down another childs block building.
Caden IBP:
Caden will wash hands in the sink by himself.
Caden will throw away his garbage at snack time.
Rori IBP:
Rori will share at the rice table.
Rori will not grab a book out of another childs hand.
Luke IBP:
Luke will play in the sand area outside in the playground.
Luke will try creating an art project to bring home.


Tables
Table 1
Table 2
Students
Quotes
Sophia
Mommy loves me. She just does not love daddy anymore.
Daddy cried sometimes.
Mommy has an apartment now, at mommys I have Lucky Charms
but not at daddys.
Rosie
I love mommy. I love daddy. They just are mad at each other.
Daddy has a new friend, they took me to Chucky Cheese and we had
fun.
Mommy has to work that is why we have a nanny.
Salvatore
No, I do not have to throw away my garbage, you do it.

I do not want string cheese, give me goldfish.
I hate daddy. He is mean. He did not make me pancakes, I had a
bagel.
Mommy always brings me home a chocolate sprinkles doughnut.


Samantha

I do not want to go to the playground.

Mama is coming to pick me up today, not dad.
Dad is away this weekend.
Token System
Comment [El Samuel70]: Very cool! I love the frogs!
Classroom Set up
Comment [El Samuel71]: Before or after the kids come

in? : )

Effects of Divorce

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EFFECTS OF DIVORCE ON CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM

Running head: EFFECTS OF DIVORCE ON CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM