Guide to Effective Programs
for Children and Youth

Children of Divorce Intervention Program

OVERVIEW

The Children of Divorce Intervention Program (CODIP) is a school-based program designed to work with fourth, fifth, and sixth grade children of divorce. The program works with children in groups to provide a forum for children to share their experiences and teach skills to cope with divorce, through skits and role-plays, films, and group discussions.  The goal of the sessions was to decrease the children’s common feelings of seclusion, stigma, and being different.  The results indicate that the experimental group improved greatly on the teacher ratings of problem behavior and social competence, and the parent ratings of adjustment and self-reported anxiety.  The only outcome without notable improvement for the experimental group was the children’s perceived competence and self-esteem.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

 

Target population: Fourth, fifth, and sixth grade children of divorce

The Children of Divorce Intervention Program (CODIP) is a school-based program designed to provide a forum where children can share their divorce-related feelings, clarify common misconceptions of their experience, reduce their feelings of isolation and build competence.  The program teaches children problem solving skills, communication, and anger control skills.

The program runs for 10 weeks and includes three major blocks. The first three sessions focus on building support for children.  The sessions address children’s common misconceptions about divorce and encourage children to talk about their divorce related anxieties. The sessions use skits and role-plays to help children express feelings. The next three sessions work on building children’s cognitive skills. The children are taught how to resolve interpersonal conflict and discuss problem resolutions with other children in the group. The program teaches children how to distinguish between problems that are within their control and problems they have no control over. Sessions 7-9 focus on anger control. The children are taught how to identify and deal with anger appropriately. The final session of the CODIP program focuses on ending and continuing friendships and support after the program is over.

 

EVALUATION (S) OF PROGRAM

 

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.

 

Evaluated population: The sample consisted of 75 students in fourth through sixth grade at four suburban schools. Children were eligible for participation if their parents were separated. In total, 42 boys and 33 girls were in the study and the sample was all white and middle class. Parents had been separated an average of 23.6 months.

 

Approach: Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental or control group.  In total, 41 students were assigned to the experimental group and 34 students were assigned to the control group.  Data were collected from the sample at pre-test approximately 1 week before the program and at post-test two weeks after the program ended.  Data collection occurred in small group settings (approximately 8-9 children per group). Measures consisted of the Classroom Adjustment Rating Scale to measure children’s problem behaviors and the Health Resources Inventory to measure child competence behaviors. Children’s school performance was assessed using the Parent Evaluation Form and the Group Leader Evaluation Form was used to gauge how group leaders felt about the children. Harter’s Perceived Competence Scale was used to measure cognitive, social, and physical competence and self-esteem and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children was used to measure child anxiety. Children’s divorce-related attitudes were assessed using the Children’s Attitudes and Self-Perceptions scale and children’s feelings about the group experience were measured using the Comments About Groups measure.

Results: Children in the program experienced greater adjustment gains than children in the control group. Teachers rated program participants to have significant reductions in learning problems as well as having an improved outlook on life and fewer shy/anxious feelings. The program participants also experienced a significant reduction in problem areas such as feelings of self-blame about divorce and increased competence in their ability to solve personal problems.  The only outcome that did not show improvement was a measure of the children’s perceived competence and self-esteem.  The conclusion is that the 10-week intervention is influential on divorce-related issues, but not as strong on the issues of perceived competence and self-esteem.

 

SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

Link to program curriculum: http://www.childrensinstitute.net/catalog/manuals/index.asp#CODIP 

References

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.

Program categorized in this guide according to the following:

Evaluated participant ages 4th-6th grade / Program age ranges in the Guide 6-11, 12-14

Program components: school-based

Measured outcomes: social and emotional health and development

 

Program information last updated 3/16/07

   © Child Trends 2003