Impact of Divorce on Children and the Benefits of Cooperative Co-Parenting (4CE)

Registration Requirements

To register for this course, you will be asked to create an account on our website and agree to our terms and conditions.  You have the option to purchase this course å la carte or as part of a bundle, and you may select your enrollment period.   Then, you will be prompted to make a payment using a credit card through Stripe or through PayPal.

Authors/Contributors

Shayna Rayman, JD, LMHC, LCPC, NCC

Course Description

This course is comprised of three videos followed by three short online quizzes.  It examines the impact of divorce or parental separation on children and highlights the differences between typical symptoms children may exhibit due to exposure to tolerable levels of stress versus harmful symptoms children may exhibit due to exposure to toxic stress.  The course illustrates how a toxic stress environment can be created when certain types of parental conflict, such as destructive conflict and withdrawal behaviors are present, which can then result in harm to children.  The course walks the learner through a body of research which demonstrates the importance of minimizing exposure to children of destructive conflict and withdrawal behaviors.  The course also teaches about the importance of protective factors which can act to buffer the effects of stress on children resulting from parental conflict and separation.  The course helps the learner to recognize symptoms of distress children may exhibit at different developmental stages, in the event they have been exposed to toxic stress; and, it teaches ways to protect children from exposure to harm by exploring the factors which contribute to child adjustment after parental separation.  The course explains what co-parenting means and the importance of striving for a cooperative co-parenting relationship upon parental separation.  This course will also familiarize the learner with legal terminology surrounding child custody cases and introduce concepts such as, the best interests standard, parenting plans, and child support; and it will offer some tips to help children cope with divorce.

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Course Learning Objectives

• To learn typical symptoms children may exhibit upon parental separation
• To learn the difference between positive, tolerable, and toxic stress
• To learn the difference between parental conflict patterns:  constructive, destructive, and withdrawal behaviors
• To learn what protective factors are, how they buffer the effects of stress, and to identify examples
• To learn to recognize the symptoms of distress children may exhibit at different stages
• To learn differences in parenting styles:  authoritarian, permissive, uninvolved/neglectful, authoritative/democratic
• To learn factors which contribute to child adjustment after parental separation
• To learn what the co-parenting relationship is and how to have a cooperative co-parenting relationship
• To learn terminology:  best interest standard, parenting plans, child support
• To learn some tips to help children cope with divorce

Course Requirements

You will be expected to review all materials provided and pass the post-tests with a minimum of 80%, in order to receive your certificate of completion. You will also be required to complete a course evaluation. Once you have satisfactorily completed the post-test and submitted your evaluation, you will be able to download your certificate.