Funding outcome

Approximately 1.2 million divorced or separated Canadians have children under the age of 18. Female parent families make up about 73% of single-parent Canadian families. Although many Canadian families experience divorce, little is known about how divorce effects mothers and children. The mother-child relationship is known to help children cope with stressful life experiences, such as divorce. The beliefs mothers hold about children's emotions, known as emotion-related beliefs, influence the mother-child relationship. It is important to learn more about the factors that support the mother-child relationship during divorce to help children overcome these stressful experiences. Research has not explored mothers' emotion-related beliefs within the context of divorce. Therefore, this study will involve developing and testing a model that assesses how mothers' emotion-related beliefs influence the mother-child relationship and children's coping in families experiencing divorce. It will also evaluate whether mothers' emotion-related beliefs can predict more supportive mother-child relationships and better coping in children. The study findings will provide new information about divorce, the mother-child relationship, and children's coping in vulnerable families. The study results will be used to develop strategies to support mothers and children during this stressful family transitions. These strategies will be shared with families and community organizations in Edmonton and beyond.