Young Adults from Divorced and Intact Families

Abstract

Two-hundred and twenty-four young adult university students from divorced (N = 40) and intact (N = 184) families were asked their retrospective opinion of their preferred living arrangement following a divorce. Students had a choice between sole custody-mother or father, with or without visitation to non-custodial parent, or joint physical custody. Students from divorced families, in retrospect, indicated a preference for sole custodial living arrangements while students from intact families indicated a preference for joint physical arrangements. The quality of the relationship to each parent mediated these effects. Students from intact families reported more positive relationships with fathers than those from divorced families.