Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Theoretical And Empirical Foundations Of Divorce Education: Connecting Program Theory And Curricular Content, Alisha M. Hardman, Emily H. Becher, Ellie Mccann, Sharon E. Powell, Jennifer Garbow, Neeraj Rajasekar, Mary S. Marczak

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Many parent and family education programs lack a clearly articulated program theory that is solidly founded in the social science literature and used to guide rigorous evaluation. This article describes the program theory for Parents Forever, a divorce education program developed by the Minnesota Extension to serve divorcing parents. The Parents Forever program theory is theoretically based and empirically-informed. The program theory is based on three significant frameworks, which serve as the theoretical foundation for the program: human ecosystems, life course development, and family resilience. These theories are explored and discussed. Three primary change mechanisms relevant for divorcing families serve …