Dykeman_Critique

It has been said that one third of all American children will experience the divorce of their parents’ before the age of 18 (Dykeman, 2003, para.2). This exposes a serious problem plaguing American families as well as students, educators, principals, colleges and universities. This article observed that some children cope well with the dissolution of their parents’ marriage without any major disruptions to their social functioning (Goeke-Moran, 2007, p.1). On the other hand¸ some children have trouble coping with their parents’ divorce experiencing difficulty in school as well as trouble adjusting to their new living arrangements (Goeke-Moran, 2007, p.1). Children who have difficulty adjusting to the changes occurring in their life tend to lash out both verbally and physically. The purpose of the study was to test the effectiveness of an intervention program for students who have been referred by their teachers to their school counselor because of some outburst or other display of defiant behavior and destructive behavior patterns. Upon initial review of Dykeman’s “The Effects of Family Conflict Resolution on Children’s Classroom Behavior” article, it appears to be a rather convincing study. I found this article to be quiet intriguing as its study ties in closely with my final research project regarding domestic violence and its effects on families especially children who fall victim or witness acts of violence in the home. In addition, my own parents divorced during my early adolescent years leaving my mother to take on the sole responsibility of parenting me however I managed to cope with their divorce rather well as I have few memories of my father living in the home with us. The U.S. Census bureau estimates that approximately 50 percent of all American children born in 1982 will live in a single-parent home sometime during their first 18 years, mostly as a result of separation or divorce (Krehbiel, 2010, p.2). Schools can represent one stable force in the children's lives during the family transition, and school personnel can help them cope with the effects of divorce (Krehbiel, 2010, p.2). Yet, after further review of this article, it became evident that the article held various contradictions, inconsistencies, and a complete lack of depth. The original sample consisted of 21 children and was conducted in a mid-sized industrial Midwestern city (Dykeman, para.12). From within the city, the study sample came from five junior high schools where the students selected were in the seventh or eighth grade (Dykeman, para.12). Furthermore, the study sample consisted of a dyad sample comprised of the child and the custodial parent (Dykeman, para.12).  Out of the 21 dyads, 6 were studied in the school year 1998/1999, 8 were studied in the year 1999/2000, and 7 were studied in the year 2000/2001(Dykeman, para.12). This example is in proportion with the study’s inaccurate representation of the population for which this study is directed towards. That is the students whom were placed on referral to special education for negative behavior associated with family dissolution. That population is so broad in scope and the sample is too small to give a true and accurate result.  One of the greatest issues plaguing American families today is the issue of family conflict as more and more children become caught in the middle of family discord, parental separation and divorce. According to the study as stated by Dykeman, all results from the family systems intervention point to a reduction of family conflict as reported by the students, and a reduction of negative and disruptive classroom behavior as noted by the teachers (Dykeman, 2003, para.9).   The goal of the study was to determine the effects of “pre-referral tertiary-intervention program” when applied to children that had recently been involved in a parental separation or divorce, who had displayed misbehavior in the classroom as a result of conflict from the divorce, and who had been referred by their teachers for special education (Dykeman, 2003, para.9). Although the study directly addressed these factors, it failed to sample an accurate proportion of the student population and staff therefore rendering its findings subjective rather than objective. References: Dykeman, B. (2003). The Effects of Family Conflict Resolution on Children’s Classroom Behavior. Retrieved June 27, 2011 from http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst'docId=5001907970. Goeke-Moran, M. (2007). Children and Marital Conflict Resolution: Implications for Emotional Security and Adjustment. Retrieved June 27, 2011 from http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/fam/21/4/744/. Krehibel, J. (2010). Creating Balance in a Child’s Life. Retrieved June 27, 2011 from http://www.scribd.com/doc/25473323/Creating-Balance-in-a-Child%E2%80%99s-Life.