Data will be collected using a survey instrument. The instrument will be designed by researchers for the purposes of this particular study and will feature two sections. The first section will ask for some brief familial and biographical information. First and foremost, the survey will ask the life and marital status of the respondents' parents, accounting for single mothers, single fathers, legal non-biological guardians, divorced parents, remarried parents and married parents. This section will also ask for information regarding siblings and other particulars of the family living situation. Surveys will not ask for names or other individual identifiers, insuring anonymity and privacy for all respondents.

In the second section of the survey, aata will be collected using a Fixed Alternatives Likert Scale survey. Here, 20 statements will be presented to the respondent. The respondent will be asked to circle one of five numbered responses:

-2. Strongly Disagree

-1. Disagree

0. Neutral

1. Agree

2. Strongly Agree

Each response generates a score, with all responses contributing to a composite score determining the respondents' 'relative adjustment.' Here, 'relative adjustment' will refer to the emotional, psychological, sociological and developmental well-being of the respondent, independent of his or her parents' marital status. Relative adjustment will be measured by posing statements asserting the positive, balanced and functional aspects of a household and living situation. Here, statements will relate to parental attentiveness, the respondent's sense of personal well-being, feelings of support and comfort in one's household and an array of additional factors typically used to assess that which we have defined as 'relative adjustment.' Higher scores (with 40 being the highest possible) will indicate a higher degree of relative adjustment whereas lower scores (with -40 being the lowest possible) will indicate a lower degree of 'relative adjustment.' These scores will provide a basis for analysis of responses.

Surveys will be administered online, using the school's listserv to engage students, to seek their consent to participate and to convey them to a webpage where anonymous surveys can be completed and submitted. Reliability will be achieved by engaging a pilot test of the survey instrument, requesting the participation of experienced divorce and family counseling professionals in validating the instrument.

Results

The results of the research endeavor will be presented according to the apparent relationship between composite survey scores and parental marital status. A multiple linear regression analysis will be employed to identify any relationships which might emerge from the data between parental marital status and individual respondents' 'relative adjustment' scores.

5. Conclusion

It is ultimately expected that the variation between 'relative adjustment' of respondents whose parents are married vs. those whose parents are divorced will be more modest than prior research assumptions have posited. Indeed, it is not entirely out of the question that the distinction between 'relative adjustment' in children of divorced parents vs. children of married parents…


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