Deck 10: Coming Apartthe Divorce Experience

Question 1

According to the text,when do almost all Canadians feel that divorce is justified?

A) when one partner fails to show respect for the other
B) when the couple has an unsatisfactory sex life
C) when one partner is infertile
D) when the couple constantly disagrees about money

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following was one change in the 1985 divorce law?

A) Divorcing couples needed to show who was at fault for the marriage breakdown.
B) The waiting period for divorce on the grounds of marriage breakdown was reduced.
C) The person seeking a divorce had to prove both adultery and cruelty.
D) Divorces became more difficult if the couple had young children.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

What was the first province with a divorce law?

A) Ontario
B) Quebec
C) New Brunswick
D) Prince Edward Island

Answer 3

C

Question 4

In 2005,what was the most commonly stated grounds for divorce?

A) adultery
B) mental cruelty
C) separation for at least one year
D) physical cruelty

Question 5

During the 1960s,the churches were strongly involved in the debate over changing the divorce law.Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) The Roman Catholic Church supported a bill to make divorces more difficult to obtain.
B) The United Church and the Baptist Church stated that grounds for divorce should not be widened.
C) The Anglican Church argued that cruelty, but not marriage breakdown, should become grounds for divorce.
D) The Catholic Women's League stated that Roman Catholics should not make other Canadians live by their beliefs.

Question 6

Many couples who divorce appear to follow a "divorce cascade." What does this mean?

A) They follow approximately the same downhill path.
B) Those caught in the cascade inevitably divorce.
C) The farther along they are in the sequence, the less likely they are to divorce.
D) The entire family realizes that the marriage is falling apart.

Question 7

According to symbolic-interaction thought,what shift has occurred in marriage?

A) women have gone from depending on men for support to supporting themselves
B) spouses have gone from emphasizing security in marriage to reaching one's highest potential
C) spouses have gone from having a greater to a lower cost in getting divorced
D) value has shifted from the implied contract of marriage to demands for personal freedom

Question 8

What happened following passage of the new divorce law in 1968?

A) The number of divorces dropped.
B) The divorce rate increased slightly.
C) The divorce rate increased, then dropped to previous levels.
D) Divorces increased dramatically.

Question 9

According to the text,what is one explanation for the increase in divorce?

A) the shift away from a sense of duty and toward personal fulfillment
B) lower expectations for marital happiness as women's independence increased
C) reduced sexual satisfaction of young couples who are time-crunched
D) the rush into marriage following unmarried cohabitation

Question 10

Which of the following is TRUE about Bill C-187,passed in 1968?

A) It introduced the "no-fault" principle of marital breakdown as legitimate grounds for divorce.
B) It allowed women to sue for divorce on the same grounds as men.
C) It reduced the waiting period for a divorce to one year.
D) It was not acknowledged by the Catholic Church.

Question 11

According to the text,what was often called the "poor man's divorce"?

A) adultery
B) desertion
C) applying to the Senate
D) annulment

Question 12

By 1968,all provinces except two had divorce laws with adultery basically the sole ground for divorce.Which two didn't have divorce laws?

A) Newfoundland and Quebec
B) Alberta and Newfoundland
C) Quebec and New Brunswick
D) British Columbia and Nova Scotia

Question 13

What does the exchange perspective state about divorce?

A) It is less likely if the wife has many male colleagues.
B) It is less likely if there are many costs.
C) It occurs more often when couples are more dependent on each other.
D) It is more likely when social stigma is greater.

Question 14

In a Statistics Canada study of attitudes about divorce,who had the most lenient attitudes?

A) people in their 30s
B) people aged 50 or older
C) baby boomers
D) Generation Xers

Question 15

What happened to the divorce rate following the changes to the divorce law in 1985?

A) It increased rapidly, then dropped.
B) It continued to increase rapidly.
C) It stayed about the same.
D) It declined slightly.

Question 16

Researchers have identified three kinds of reasons for divorce.Which of the following is one of these reasons?

A) personal reasons
B) experiential reasons
C) substantive reasons
D) emotional reasons

Question 17

Following Confederation in 1867,what happened in provinces where there was no divorce law?

A) It was impossible to get a divorce.
B) To get a divorce, it was necessary to have a private member's bill passed in parliament.
C) Anybody could get divorced easily because there were no regulations.
D) Only men could get divorces.

Question 18

What does the structural-functional view of divorce suggest?

A) Social institutions such as daycare make divorce more likely.
B) Divorce is more likely if other desirable partners are available.
C) The presence of children reduces the likelihood of divorce.
D) New societal opportunities for women lead to increases in divorce.

Question 19

According to research,which of the following is NOT a risk factor for divorce?

A) early age at marriage
B) having less than a high school education
C) interracial marriage
D) men bringing children into the marriage

Question 20

What factor is probably NOT a reason for the decrease in divorces since 1987?

A) More people cohabit instead of marry.
B) People are older when they marry.
C) Separations of cohabitators are not included in divorce statistics.
D) The churches have gained greater influence over people's decisions.

Question 21

According to the text,which of the following is LEAST likely to be a part of planning the breakup of the family system?

A) telling extended family members
B) settling custody of the children
C) working out finances
D) getting married again

Question 22

Divorcing couples may delay separation until a time that is suitable.What happens during this time?

A) New roles are developed.
B) The couple moves past blaming each other.
C) Division of assets is determined.
D) The divorcing couple becomes involved in activities outside the family.

Question 23

What is the term for a divorced person who shares the responsibility for his or her child?

A) a custodial parent
B) a binuclear parent
C) a co-parent
D) a nonresidential parent

Question 24

Samantha lives with her mother and visits her father each weekend.From Samantha's point of view,what is this arrangement?

A) joint custody
B) a binuclear family
C) a one-parent family
D) a transitional state

Question 25

Kathryn is newly divorced.How are she and her daughter probably coping economically?

A) They are better off financially because their family is smaller.
B) They are better off because they receive child support payments.
C) They experience a drop in their standard of living.
D) They experience severe poverty and welfare dependency.

Question 26

According to the text,how long does the disequilibrium following separation or divorce usually last?

A) six months
B) from one to three years
C) from three to four years
D) more than five years

Question 27

Which of the following is NOT usually part of the emotional crisis of divorce?

A) building new social networks as single people
B) becoming emotionally detached from the ex-partner as a spouse
C) redefining themselves as non-parents
D) forming a new identity as a single person

Question 28

According to the Federal Child Support Guidelines,what happens after a divorce?

A) The custodial parent is solely responsible for supporting children after a divorce.
B) Both parents must contribute exactly the same amount of child support.
C) All divorcing families must follow the Guidelines.
D) Both parents must contribute a similar percentage of income toward supporting a child.

Question 29

Divorce usually produces a transitional state.Which of the following is usually NOT part of such a state?

A) increased conflict between family members
B) a need for new patterns of behavior
C) a sense of disequilibrium
D) interruption of family developmental tasks

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT a crisis of divorce?

A) emotional crisis
B) parenting crisis
C) economic crisis
D) transitional crisis

Question 31

Following her divorce,Lori has custody of her two sons.She has experienced continuing financial problems.According to the text,what are these LEAST likely to have resulted from?

A) the fact that she is greedy and extravagant
B) her difficulty in collecting child support
C) her lack of marketable skills in finding employment
D) the low level of support paid by her ex-husband

Question 32

According to the text,which of the following are anxious for a new mate and may not be careful in their choice following divorce?

A) single mothers
B) the defeated
C) seekers
D) goodenoughs

Question 33

According to the text,what is an important developmental task for a divorced person to accomplish?

A) a custody battle
B) an emotional divorce
C) preoccupation with the lost relationship
D) achieving a transitional state

Question 34

According to the text,what is an important aspect of separation?

A) deciding custody arrangements for children
B) slowing down the divorce cascade
C) taking advantage of sleeper effects
D) working out how to separate from the ex-spouse's extended family

Question 35

According to the text,within how many years will most divorced persons have built a reasonably satisfying life?

A) two
B) four
C) six
D) eight

Question 36

Which of the following is probably a sign that an emotional divorce has taken place?

A) anger over the breakup
B) friendship with the ex-spouse
C) yearning for the lost relationship
D) custody battle to punish the ex-spouse

Question 37

Which steps does the "divorce cascade" usually involve?

A) decision to divorce, planning the breakup, separation
B) increased conflict, consideration of divorce, separation
C) emotional crisis, separation, family reorganization
D) emotional separation, custody decision, family reorganization

Question 38

According to the text,which is NOT a pattern of adjustment to divorce?

A) swingers
B) dwellers
C) goodenoughs
D) competent losers

Question 39

Zack and Chloe,who have just separated,are still having many fights,particularly about their children.According to the text,what is an important task they need to accomplish?

A) learning to get a response from each other
B) separating marital and parental relationships
C) combining parental and ex-partner relationships
D) developing strong boundary ambiguity

Question 40

During temporary separations,the family can be under a great deal of stress since its members are uncertain who is part of the family.What is this kind of stress called?

A) a transitional state
B) a sleeper effect
C) boundary ambiguity
D) member uncertainty

Question 41

In cases of child abduction,what is one of the most urgent steps?

A) appealing to the Hague Convention on Child Abduction
B) locating the child
C) phoning relatives
D) changing custody and visiting arrangements

Question 42

Why might divorcing parents not be able to respond to their children's needs?

A) They want to explain too much about the divorce to their children.
B) Children don't understand what is going on.
C) They are depressed and thus less sensitive to others.
D) The initial shock emotionally paralyzes the children.

Question 43

When do nonresidential parents see their children more often and provide support more regularly?

A) if parents agree on custody and visiting arrangements
B) if the judge sets out clear requirements at the time of the divorce
C) if the father rather than the mother is the residential parent
D) if the children are boys rather than girls

Question 44

According to the text,why might children be emotionally neglected after a divorce?

A) Parents are paralyzed by an initial state of shock.
B) Children act out in ways that make nurturing them difficult for their parents.
C) Parents are preoccupied with new dating partners.
D) Custody is granted to a father who is less in touch with their emotional needs.

Question 45

According to the text,when can some abusive ex-partners form co-parenting relationships?

A) if the courts allow them continued contact
B) if the children haven't taken sides in marital conflicts
C) if they are able to separate their spouse and parent roles
D) if both partners are motivated enough to do so

Question 46

What happened in English common law prior to the 19th century?

A) Mothers were usually granted custody.
B) The best interests of the child were important for custody decisions.
C) There was a strong movement toward joint custody.
D) Fathers had automatic right to custody of their children.

Question 47

Which of the following is NOT a principle for spousal support reflected in the federal Divorce Act?

A) A spouse should not suffer economic hardship after divorce.
B) Men and women should have equal access to children after divorce.
C) Arrangements regarding the division of labour pre-divorce may disadvantage one spouse.
D) Support can be used to make up for employment benefits sacrificed during the marriage.

Question 48

According to the text,which of the following is NOT usually a part of the parenting crisis following divorce?

A) renegotiating authority and responsibility concerning children
B) establishing new rules for the child that fit the situation
C) allowing each parent to relate to the child without prejudice
D) establishing a relationship with children that excludes the other parent

Question 49

How does divorce affect the children?

A) They are more attached to their parents than children from two-parent families.
B) They usually have serious difficulties in later life.
C) They are unable to understand divorce in a realistic way until their mid-teens.
D) They are at greater risk of developing problems than children from two-parent families.

Question 50

When do teens have the most difficulty with their parents' divorce?

A) if they are involved in sex or drugs
B) if parents do not limit contact with the non-residential parent
C) if they are expected to take sides
D) if they separate prematurely from their family

Question 51

Robbie is nine.His parents separated four years ago and are now divorced.When his mother stated that she and Robbie's father were getting along well as co-parents,what did Robbie probably say?

A) "Why don't you marry Dad again?"
B) "You should leave him alone."
C) "But Dad has a new girlfriend."
D) "I get more things if you fight."

Question 52

What does the Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction state?

A) The rights of custody that have effect are those of the country where the child has been taken.
B) Fathers normally have custody unless mothers can prove them to be unfit parents.
C) Mothers normally have custody unless fathers can prove them to be unfit parents.
D) The rights of custody and access of one country are respected by other countries.

Question 53

How can grandparents fill an important role following their children's divorce?

A) by taking sides against their former in-laws
B) by spoiling their grandchildren
C) by providing social support to their grandchildren
D) by providing tangible resources to the custodial parent

Question 54

According to the text,how does their parents' divorce affect children?

A) It has only short-term effects.
B) It transforms their lives forever.
C) It affects them only until they are adults.
D) It is usually a desired event.

Question 55

According to the text,what is children's adjustment to their parents' divorce probably most affected by?

A) the level of parental conflict
B) the sleeper effect
C) custody arrangements
D) the level of parental involvement

Question 56

What is a problem that emerges only long after an event such as a divorce?

A) a sleeper effect
B) a lurking disequilibrium
C) a delayed transition
D) a double whammy

Question 57

All the following EXCEPT which one are reasons parents do not comply with support orders?

A) dissatisfaction with the custody order
B) a wish to garnishee one's wages
C) a desire to harass the ex-spouse
D) a wish to control decisions affecting the children

Question 58

When does joint custody work best?

A) when parents compete for the love of their children
B) when the homes are far apart so parents cannot fight
C) when parents are able to cooperate
D) when children live in only one home

Question 59

What do researchers suspect that the connection between divorce and greater rates of delinquency and underachievement of children depends primarily upon?

A) the custody decision
B) stress produced by changes
C) the fact of divorce itself
D) sleeper effects

Question 60

What does split custody mean?

A) One or more children live with one parent, one or more children live with the other parent.
B) The child lives with each parent at least 40% of the time.
C) One parent gets weekdays, the other parent gets weekends and some weeknights.
D) Custody arrangements are renegotiated on an annual basis.

Question 61

In a ____________________,both father and mother act as parents to their children following divorce,while they maintain separate homes.

Question 62

The emotional loss felt in divorce is akin to that felt with the ____________________ of a loved one.

Question 63

A ____________________ is a temporary imbalance resulting from changes in relationships.

Question 64

Briefly explain the importance of the Irene Murdoch case.

Question 65

A problem that emerges only long after an event such as divorce is referred to as a ____________________.

Question 66

Sara left her two children with their father when she moved out before their divorce.He now has custody.When Sara tells others of the arrangement,what does she probably experience?

A) approval, for being unselfish
B) neither approval nor disapproval, because it does not concern outsiders
C) stigma, for being unnatural
D) either approval or disapproval, depending on her motives

Question 67

List five factors that put one at risk for a divorce.

Question 68

Between 1867 and 1968,people living in provinces without a divorce law had to apply to ____________________ if they wanted a divorce.

Question 69

A lack of balance in the family system is called ____________________.

Question 70

Which divorced parents face the greatest stigma?

A) mothers without custody of their children
B) fathers without custody of their children
C) mothers with custody of their children
D) fathers with custody of their children.

Question 71

Lower socioeconomic status is linked with ________________ divorce rates.

Question 72

Define "divorce cascade."

Question 73

The current standard used for granting custody is that of ______________________________.

Question 74

Briefly describe the effect of changes in divorce law in 1968 and 1985.

Question 75

In a kidnapping case,who is the main victim?

A) the custodial parent
B) the noncustodial parent
C) the grandparents
D) the child

Question 76

What are the three crises of divorce?

Question 77

The level of ____________________ before and after separation probably has more impact on children's post-divorce adjustment than the absence of a parent.

Question 78

For whom does the least disruption after divorce probably occur?

A) couples with children at home
B) middle-aged empty-nesters
C) the recently married couple with no children
D) couples over 65

Question 79

Bill C-187,passed in 1968,led to a(n)__________________ in divorce rates.

Question 80

Explain the relationship between the divorce law and the divorce rate.