The issue of whether a couple should remain in a troubled or difficult marriage "for the sake of the children" was addressed by Hetherington (1999) via an examination of the results of three longitudinal studies of divorce and remarriage. Noting that the issue is of significance, Hetherington (1999) commented that two main strategies have been used to empirically explore the issue: first, some studies have compared the adjustment of children whose parents later divorce to children whose parents do not divorce; second, studies have focused on examining the adjustment of children in high-conflict non-divorced families and in divorced families. It is the view of Hetherington (1999) that the presence or absence of conflict may be one of the most critical variables to be considered in determining whether or not divorce is preferable รป from the perspective of its effects on children.
The longitudinal studies examined by Hetherington (1999) included the Virginia Longitudinal Study of Divorce and Remarriage, a previous study in which Hetherington participated, and the Nonshared Environment Study. Though different in terms of subjects, data collection and analysis procedures, these three studies, taken together, were seen by Hetherington (1999) as an excellent source of in-depth data on such issues as measures of marital conflict, its intensity and short-term as well as long-term effects on children, parenting, and child adjustment.
Hetherington (1999) reviewed the literature on child adjustment, focusing on the effects of divorce and marital/ parental/familial conflict on children and their short-term and long-term adjustment and affective development. Numerous tables and graphs are presented to illustrate relationships between the important variables of conflict, the sources/causes of conflict, its effects, divorce vs. remaining married, and child adjustment at various stages of development. Results of
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