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...
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 may even be statistically insignificant.
