“We’re Doin’ OK” An Investigation of Parental Account-Giving for Divorce-Related Financial Stress

Divorce is a prevalent issue facing many Americans today with nearly one-third of first marriages ending in divorce within 10 years, and 50% of all first marriages ending in divorce at some point in the lifespan (Frisby, Booth-Butterfield, Dillow, Martin, & Weber, 2012). Considerable evidence suggests that divorce can increase the likelihood of adverse effects on the psychological well-being of family members, particularly in families with children (Brown, Portes, & Christensen, 1989). Among the many issues that confront families going through a divorce is a shift in socioeconomic status or a loss of financial stability during and after a divorce (Brown, et al., 1989). Research has shown that parents often discuss divorce-related financial problems with their children even ten years after the divorce occurs (McManus & Donovan, 2012). These conversations may have several implications for the parent’s identity and the parent-child relationship and not enough is currently known about how parents communicate with their children about these complex issues; therefore, the present study seeks to expand the understanding of how parents communicate divorce-related financial stress with their children