Table of Contents

Preface. 1. The Pervasiveness of Divorce and the Value of Diverse Voices. 2. Theoretical Perspectives and Methods. 3. Voices of Despair. 4. Voices of Hope. 5. Becoming "Parentless" Due to Divorce. 6. Family Chaos and Resilience. 7. Recent Narratives and New Perspectives on Divorce. 8. Conclusions. Appendix.

About the Author

John Harvey is a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Iowa. He received his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Missouri at Columbia. A Fellow of Division 8 of the American Psychological Association and recepient of the Distinguished Career Award and the New Contribution Award from the International Society for the Study of Personal Relationships in 2000, Dr. Harvey is the author or editor of over 30 books on close relationships. Mark Fine is a Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Missouri - Columbia. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Ohio State University. A licensed psychologist in both Missouri and Ohio, Dr. Fine is a Fellow of the National Council on Family Relations. He is currently an editorial board member of Personal Relationships and an Associate Editor of Family Relations and the Journal of Marriage and the Family.

Reviews

"The book makes interesting light reading and the stories shared are varied and rich." -- Kelly Lewis-Cole in The Psychologist "This is a brilliant synthesis of existing research on the impact of divorce upon children informed by detailed personal narratives of divorce by over 1,000 college students. The personal narratives provide the richest view that I know of the inside of marriages coming apart. ... This slender volume would be excellent supplement to social psychology courses which emphasize close relationships, courses in marriage and the family, and courses in adolescent counseling. It is written with a sensitivity to the limitations fof the data and methods, but with a sophisticated grasp of the theories and issues relevant to make social psychology relevant to our students." - Keith Davis, Ph.D., University of South Carolina, USA This slender volume would be excellent supplement to social psychology courses which emphasize close relationships, courses in marriage and the family, and courses in adolescent counseling. It is written with a sensitivity to the limitations fof the data and methods, but with a sophisticated grasp of the theories and issues relevant to make social psychology relevant to our students. "Two distinguished researchers collaborate on this exciting, timely, relevant and humane project so the result is excellent. This book lives up to all expectations, with the authors' hallmark blend of technical expertise and accessible writing." - Steve Duck, University of Iowa, USA "Reflecting the voices of young adults and researchers this book provides balance at many levels. It captures well the variable impact of parental divorce from diverse perspectives. Engaging and lively, it is a must read for anyone interested in the topic." - Frank Fincham, The Florida State University, USA "Once again, Harvey and Fine remind us that divorce is a pivotal event, a dichotomy in a life. Yet divorce is also on a continuum from "devastating" to "civil and compassionate." Therein lies both the pain -- and the hope." - Susan Hendrick, Texas Tech University, USA "The focus on college students' narratives is unique and it quickly grabs the [readers'] interest... my students can easily relate to them.a Relevant and important literature is included and guides the understanding of the stories. ... The inclusion of "comments" following each narrative helps to solidify the concepts portrayed and ! connect content across chapters...an appropriate supplemental text ... for courses in family crisis and stress, divorce and stepfamily life, adolescent development, young adulthood, and parenting." - Karen Blaisure, Western Michigan University, USA