Topic: Emotional Competency, Divorce
Target Population: Early Childhood
Sector: Community-Based, School-Based
This program is for children who are in kindergarten and 1st grade and whose parents are divorced or separated.
Children of Divorce Intervention Program (CODIP): Grades K-1, a community- or school-based preventive intervention curriculum, is designed to decrease the adverse effects some children experience during parental divorce and separation by teaching them coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.
One internal quasi-experimental study with a 2-year follow-up has been conducted. Posttest results demonstrated that, relative to a comparison group of children from divorced families, children in the intervention group were found to have fewer teacher-reported behavioral and emotional problems and higher levels of emotional and social functioning as rated by teachers and children. These effects were maintained at the 2-year follow-up. No differences were found at posttest for parental reports of child behavioral, emotional, or social functioning; however, at the 2-year follow-up, parents of children in the intervention group, relative to parents of comparison children, indicated their child was coping more effectively with divorce-related family changes. Further, at the 2-year follow-up, children in the intervention group had less anxiety and fewer visits to the school nurse than comparison children. A quasi-experimental study with pretest and posttest measures implemented a Dutch adaptation of the program among a group of 6- to 8-year-old children in the Netherlands. Results indicated increases in mother-reported positive functioning and well-being, decreases in mother-reported child emotional and behavioral problems and similar improvements in group leader-reported outcomes in intervention children compared to control children.
Children are referred to CODIP: Grades K-1 by parents, community members, or school staff. The program is delivered in a nurturing group environment and intends to decrease emotional issues and behavioral problems, increase self-esteem, and enhance youth’s understanding and expression of divorce-related changes. The curriculum addresses the following topics:
Activities, such as group discussions, skits, role-plays, films, homework, and feedback from group members, are utilized throughout sessions to support and strengthen emotion sharing, coping skills, and self-esteem among participants.
Separate curricula have also been developed for youth in 2nd and 3rd grades, 4th through 6th grade, and 7th and 8th grades.
CODIP was founded in 1982 and has been implemented with thousands of children and adolescents around the world, including the United States, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. The extent to which CODIP: Grades K-1 has been implemented is unclear.
This program is delivered by counselors and mental health professionals. Training is not required; however, a variety of training options and customized professional development offerings are available. Please use details in the Contact section for more information.
Considerations for implementing this program include acquiring school administration or community center leadership, youth, and parent buy-in; recruiting a suitable facilitator and ensuring he or she can attend training, if desired; finding a location to hold sessions; and understanding this program could address sensitive topics.
The Clearinghouse can help address these considerations. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
If you are interested in implementing CODIP: Grades K-1, the Clearinghouse is interested in helping you!
Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
The curriculum consists of 12 45-minute sessions.
The curriculum manual costs $125. A package containing manuals for Grades K-1 and 2-3 is available for $225.
To move CODIP: Grades K-1 to the Effective category on the Clearinghouse Continuum of Evidence, at least one external evaluation must be conducted that demonstrates sustained, positive outcomes. This study must be conducted independently of the program developer.
The Clearinghouse can help you develop an evaluation plan to ensure the program components are meeting your goals. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
Contact the Clearinghouse with any questions regarding this program.
Phone: 1-877-382-9185 Email: Clearinghouse@psu.edu
You may also contact Children’s Institute by mail 274 N. Goodman Street, Suite D103, Rochester, NY 14607, phone 1-585-295-1000, fax 1-585-295-1090, or visit https://www.childrensinstitute.net/contact-us
Pedro-Carroll, J. L., & Alpert-Gillis, L. J. (1997). Preventive interventions for children of divorce: A developmental model for 5 and 6 year old children. The Journal of Primary Prevention, 18(1), 5-23. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024601421020
Pedro-Carroll, J. L., Sutton, S. E., & Wyman, P. A. (1999). A two-year follow-up evaluation of a preventive intervention for young children of divorce. School Psychology Review, 28(3), 467-476. https://doi.org/10.1080/02796015.1999.12085978
Velderman, M. K., van Dommelen, P., Pannebakker, F. D., & Reijneveld, S. A. (2022). Preventive group training improves children's outcomes after divorce: A Dutch quasi-experimental study. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 31(4), 1069-1078. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-021-02220-x
Pedro-Carroll, J., & Alpert-Gillis, L. (n.d.). Children of Divorce Intervention Program: A procedures manual for conducting support groups: Kindergarten & first grade children. Children’s Institute.
Velderman, M. K., Pannebakker, F. D., van Vliet, W., & Reijneveld, S. A. (2018). Prevention of divorce-related problems in Dutch 4-to 8-year-olds: Cultural adaptation and pilot study of the children of divorce intervention program. Research on Social Work Practice, 28(4), 415-427. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731516644504
