Caught in the Middle

Takes a hard look at the consequences of intense conflict between divorced parents

This book explores both the causes and consequences of high-level, stressful conflict between divorced parents on their children's development. It also provides concrete advice to help parents work together to the benefit of all involved, most importantly the children.

Acknowledgments v

1 Introduction 1

2 Why Work It Out? 11

3 Understanding Conflict Developmentally 29

4 How to Assess Conflict 41

5 Normal Visitation versus Conflict Visitation 51

6 Identifying and Understanding Parental Alienation 65

7 A Comprehensive Intervention Model for Parental Alienation 83

8 Creating a Parenting Plan for High-Conflict Divorce 101

9 Implementing the Parenting Plan 127

Appendix A: Parenting Plan 155

Appendix B: Parenting Checklist 162

Appendix C: Parenting Coordinator Agreement 168

References 173

Bibliography 178

Index 181

"A timely, practical book. It is clearly written; comples family dynamics are well illustrated and made understandable...a valuable source book for legal and mental health professionals, as well as parents themselves." --Janet R. Johnston, Ph.D., Center for the Family in Transition and co-author of Impasses of Divorce Continued, unresolved conflict between divorced parents is the major obstacle to their children's adjustment in childhood as well as later in life. Carla Garrity and Mitchell Baris, child psychologists who have concentrated in the field of divorce for twenty years, explore both the causes and consequences of post-divorce conflict and offer concrete advice to help parents work together to the benefit of all involved, most importantly the children. "A timely, practical book. It is clearly written; comples family dynamics are well illustrated and made understandable...a valuable source book for legal and mental health professionals, as well as parents themselves."
—Janet R. Johnston, Ph.D., Center for the Family in Transition and co-author of Impasses of Divorce