Test Bank

Chapter 15: Divorce, Remarriage, and Stepfamilies

Multiple Choice

1. Divorce is the ______ of a valid marriage contract.

a. emotional ending

b. annulment

c. legal ending

d. reversal

Learning Objective: 15.1: Define divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Definition and Prevalence of Divorce

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. What is the major reason for recent stabilization of the divorce rate?

a. increase in cohabitation

b. older marriage age

c. increase in religiosity

d. better-educated marital partners

Learning Objective: 15.1: Define divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Definition and Prevalence of Divorce

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. Research identifies which quality in a mate is most important to single women?

a. trustworthy

b. charismatic

c. attractive

d. wealthy

Learning Objective: 15.2: Review the deal breakers in relationships and the factors involved in ending a relationship.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Deal Breakers

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. Which of these qualities in a partner was most important to men who identified relationship deal-breakers?

a. trustworthy

b. charismatic

c. attractive

d. wealthy

Learning Objective: 15.2: Review the deal breakers in relationships and the factors involved in ending a relationship.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Deal Breakers

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. In surveying couples involved in discernment counseling, about how many were able to reconcile their differences?

a. none

b. about one-fourth

c. about one-half

d. almost all

Learning Objective: 15.2: Review the deal breakers in relationships and the factors involved in ending a relationship.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Choices to Make Before Ending a Relationship

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. Lidia’s husband is emotionally distant and uninterested in intimacy. But she chooses to remain married for the stability of her children and because she wants the financial freedom to return to school. Lidia has made what relationship choice?

a. focus on other aspects of her life

b. accept that divorce will be complicated

c. participate in discernment counseling

d. take responsibility for problems

Learning Objective: 15.2: Review the deal breakers in relationships and the factors involved in ending a relationship.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Choices to Make Before Ending a Relationship

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. When we terminate a relationship with a romantic partner, it is healthiest to do which of the following?

a. continue spending limited time together

b. monitor our partner’s social media accounts

c. try to maintain a friendship after some time has passed

d. learn from our own behaviors

Learning Objective: 15.2: Review the deal breakers in relationships and the factors involved in ending a relationship.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Choices to Make Before Ending a Relationship

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. What is an example of a macro factor contributing to divorce?

a. one partner’s depression

b. high unemployment rates

c. poor conflict resolution skills

d. one partner’s extramarital affair

Learning Objective: 15.3: Identify macro factors associated with divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Economic Factors Associated With Divorce

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. Which aspect of the modern family structure contributes to divorce?

a. increased family mobility

b. role of family in meeting emotional needs

c. increased caregiving by fathers

d. decreased procreation

Learning Objective: 15.3: Identify macro factors associated with divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Changing Family Functions and Structure

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. Lois and her husband are Catholics seeking an annulment from the Church. Once the annulment is granted, what is this couple’s marital status?

a. They are legally divorced.

b. According to the Church, they have never married, but their legal marital status is unchanged.

c. Their marriage has never taken place in the eyes of the Church and of the law.

d. Their marital status is unchanged according to the Church and to law.

Learning Objective: 15.3: Identify macro factors associated with divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Fewer Religious Sanctions

Difficulty Level: Medium

11. The American cultural value emphasizing ______ contributes to a high divorce rate.

a. the family unit

b. group satisfaction

c. selflessness

d. personal happiness

Learning Objective: 15.3: Identify macro factors associated with divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Ethnicity and Culture

Difficulty Level: Medium

12. When a long-married couple no longer has anything in common, this is a ______ factor contributing to their divorce.

a. macro

b. micro

c. cultural

d. structural

Learning Objective: 15.4: Identify micro factors associated with divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Growing Apart

Difficulty Level: Medium

13. What is the message behind Dr. John Gottman’s magic ratio of 5:1?

a. Negative feelings should be hidden for relationship positivity.

b. Positive relationships are dependent upon physical affection.

c. Compliments in a positive relationship must significantly surpass criticisms.

d. Criticisms in a relationship must not outweigh compliments.

Learning Objective: 15.4: Identify micro factors associated with divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Low Frequency of Positive Behavior

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. Extramarital affairs appear to have been a factor in about ______ of U.S. divorces.

a. 10%

b. 20%

c. 40%

d. 80%

Learning Objective: 15.4: Identify micro factors associated with divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Extramarital Relationships

Difficulty Level: Easy

15. Couples who divorce because they just seem to be tired of each other’s personalities, habits, and sexual preferences are experiencing ______.

a. affiliation

b. satiation

c. manipulation

d. conflict

Learning Objective: 15.4: Identify micro factors associated with divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Onset of Satiation

Difficulty Level: Easy

16. According to researchers, what is experienced more by women than men after divorce?

a. decrease in economic well-being

b. decrease in psychological well-being

c. thoughts of suicide

d. decrease in physical well-being

Learning Objective: 15.5: Understand the consequences of divorce for spouses.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: What are the Consequences of Divorce for Spouses and Parents?

Difficulty Level: Easy

17. What is the best advice you can offer a friend who has recently divorced, to help them get over this relationship?

a. keep reminding yourself about pleasant memories of the past

b. focus on the negative aspects of the relationship

c. spy on your former partner on Facebook and Instagram

d. retain your old identity, at least for the short term

Learning Objective: 15.5: Understand the consequences of divorce for spouses.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Dwelling on a Previous Relationship

Difficulty Level: Medium

18. Bettie and Dave married young. Bettie put Dave through college by waitressing, and then stayed home for years to care for their children. During their divorce, Bettie seeks money to enable her to get on her feet financially. What type of spousal support is Bettie seeking?

a. temporary alimony

b. lump sum alimony

c. permanent alimony

d. rehabilitative alimony

Learning Objective: 15.5: Understand the consequences of divorce for spouses.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Financial Consequences

Difficulty Level: Medium

19. After a divorce, an open and ongoing relationship with the couple’s children from both parents helps prevent ______.

a. conflicts over alimony

b. divorce stigma

c. parental alienation syndrome

d. emotional distress

Learning Objective: 15.5: Understand the consequences of divorce for spouses.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Parental Alienation

Difficulty Level: Easy

20. Women in which category are least likely to revert to their maiden name following a divorce?

a. older women

b. less educated women

c. women married just a few years

d. women with more children

Learning Objective: 15.5: Understand the consequences of divorce for spouses.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Name Change

Difficulty Level: Easy

21. What is the most common major adverse childhood experience?

a. emotional neglect

b. physical neglect

c. domestic violence

d. parental separation

Learning Objective: 15.6: Understand the consequences of divorce for children.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Consequences of Divorce for Children

Difficulty Level: Easy

22. What were Watkins and Waldron’s (2017) findings regarding the effects of divorce on young adults?

a. They are less successful academically than those with married parents.

b. They are less close with their divorced parents than those with married parents.

c. They are more financially independent than those with married parents.

d. They are more emotionally stable than those with married parents.

Learning Objective: 15.6: Understand the consequences of divorce for children.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Consequences of Divorce for Children

Difficulty Level: Medium

23. When children of divorced parents are alienated from the noncustodial parent, this usually reflects the choices of the ______.

a. children

b. courts

c. custodial parent

d. noncustodial parent

Learning Objective: 15.6: Understand the consequences of divorce for children.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Estrangement and Other Negative Outcomes

Difficulty Level: Easy

24. Why are college-age students whose parents divorce less likely to graduate?

a. fewer economic resources available

b. emotional need to return “home”

c. decreased desire to succeed

d. time commitment in court on behalf of a parent

Learning Objective: 15.6: Understand the consequences of divorce for children.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Estrangement and Other Negative Outcomes

Difficulty Level: Easy

25. What positive outcome is most identified by college students as resulting from their parents’ divorce?

a. greater personal independence

b. greater compassion for those facing difficulties

c. increased quality time spent with father

d. increased quality time spent with mother

Learning Objective: 15.6: Understand the consequences of divorce for children.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Positive Outcomes

Difficulty Level: Easy

26. When Hudson’s parents divorced, he went to live with his dad, but his mom and dad are allowed to make decisions together regarding his schooling, vacation time, etc. In this family, Hudson’s dad has ______ custody, while his mom has ______ custody.

a. sole; no

b. physical; legal

c. sole; limited

d. legal; physical

Learning Objective: 15.6: Understand the consequences of divorce for children.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Child Custody

Difficulty Level: Medium

27. According to the family relations doctrine, what is necessary for someone to be awarded custody or visitation rights?

a. emotional and economic involvement in child’s life

b. biological connection to child

c. biological and legal connection to child

d. positive long-term relationship with child

Learning Objective: 15.6: Understand the consequences of divorce for children.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Child Custody

Difficulty Level: Medium

28. What is the preferred term for continued involvement of both divorcing partners in their child’s life?

a. joint custody

b. family custody

c. shared parenting

d. equal parenting

Learning Objective: 15.6: Understand the consequences of divorce for children.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Shared Parenting

Difficulty Level: Easy

29. What is a disadvantage of a joint custody agreement?

a. Other relatives become less involved in children’s lives.

b. Conflict relationships can continue due to increased contact.

c. Children experience more difficult adjustment to divorce.

d. Economic resources available to children tend to decrease.

Learning Objective: 15.6: Understand the consequences of divorce for children.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Shared Parenting

Difficulty Level: Medium

30. Children of divorcing parents benefit if their parents help them to view the divorce as ______.

a. a challenge to learn from

b. the normal course of marriage

c. a war to be won

d. a zero-sum game

Learning Objective: 15.6: Understand the consequences of divorce for children.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Minimizing Negative Effects of Divorce on Children

Difficulty Level: Medium

31. Successful divorces that try limiting the negative impact on the family’s children and that tend to be quicker and less expensive rely upon ______.

a. negotiation

b. arbitration

c. mediation

d. litigation

Learning Objective: 15.7: Describe the conditions under which one can have a successful divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Prerequisites for Having a “Successful” Divorce

Difficulty Level: Easy

32. What is a benefit of collaborative divorce?

a. It is public.

b. It takes away control.

c. It focuses on the past.

d. It is cost-effective.

Learning Objective: 15.7: Describe the conditions under which one can have a successful divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Prerequisites for Having a “Successful” Divorce

Difficulty Level: Easy

33. During the process of divorcing someone, it is mentally healthiest to ______.

a. think negative thoughts about the relationship

b. learn from your relationship mistakes

c. place all the blame on yourself

d. try to move one with someone else

Learning Objective: 15.7: Describe the conditions under which one can have a successful divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Prerequisites for Having a “Successful” Divorce

Difficulty Level: Medium

34. How is litigation different from arbitration?

a. A team of professionals, such as financial counselors, are involved in arbitration.

b. A judge hears arguments from each spouse’s lawyer in litigation.

c. Arbitration doesn’t require legal action.

d. Litigation involves a third-party.

Learning Objective: 15.7: Describe the conditions under which one can have a successful divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Prerequisites for Having a “Successful” Divorce

Difficulty Level: Easy

35. How long does the average person need to adjust to ending a marriage?

a. one to four weeks

b. two to four months

c. twelve to eighteen months

d. two to four years

Learning Objective: 15.7: Describe the conditions under which one can have a successful divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Prerequisites for Having a “Successful” Divorce

Difficulty Level: Easy

36. About how many new marriages are actually remarriages?

a. 5%

b. 10%

c. 40%

d. 50%

Learning Objective: 15.8: Discuss the differences between first marriages and remarriages.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Remarriage

Difficulty Level: Easy

37. When Rashida goes out with her friends, she rails against her ex-husband and his affair, which ended their marriage. She avoids dating and spends a lot of time online checking out her ex-husband’s Facebook and Instagram posts to see if he is seeing anyone else. Rashida is experiencing a(n) ______.

a. negative commitment

b. emotional transition

c. psychological remarriage

d. emotional remarriage

Learning Objective: 15.8: Discuss the differences between first marriages and remarriages.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Boundary Maintenance

Difficulty Level: Medium

38. For elderly widows who decide to remarry, the primary motivation is ______.

a. home maintenance

b. companionship

c. altruism

d. economic need

Learning Objective: 15.8: Discuss the differences between first marriages and remarriages.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Remarriage for Widowed Individuals

Difficulty Level: Easy

39. Which statement is accurate about stepfamilies?

a. Stepfamilies display consistent value systems.

b. Stepfamilies benefit from stable extended family networks.

c. Stepfamilies are socially stigmatized.

d. Stepfamilies experience few interpersonal problems.

Learning Objective: 15.9 Predict what the future holds for divorce and remarriage

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Stepfamilies

Difficulty Level: Medium

40. Scholars predict that which of the following outcomes will happen in the future?

a. Legal marriages will continue to increase.

b. Divorce will remain stigmatized.

c. Close interpersonal relationships will decline.

d. Divorcism will disappear.

Learning Objective: 15.9: Predict what the future holds for divorce and remarriage.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Future of Divorce and Remarriage

Difficulty Level: Easy

True/False

1. A greater percentage of second marriages end in divorce than first marriages.

Learning Objective: 15.1: Define divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Definition and Prevalence of Divorce

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. Every relationship should be given more time and consideration before its termination.

Learning Objective: 15.2: Review the deal breakers in relationships and the factors involved in ending a relationship.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Choices to Make Before Ending a Relationship

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. When terminating a relationship, it is usually better for both partners to cease all communication.

Learning Objective: 15.2: Review the deal breakers in relationships and the factors involved in ending a relationship.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Choices to Make Before Ending a Relationship

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. A “no fault” divorce identifies the guilty party but not the cause.

Learning Objective: 15.3: Identify macro factors associated with divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Liberal Divorce Laws

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. When marital partners experience depression, they are likely to view their marriage negatively.

Learning Objective: 15.4: Identify micro factors associated with divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Depression

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. After divorcing, men are more likely than women to remarry or cohabit.

Learning Objective: 15.5: Understand the consequences of divorce for spouses.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: What Are the Consequences of Divorce for Spouses and Parents?

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. As adults, children of divorced parents report they were well aware of their parent’s impending divorce.

Learning Objective: 15.6: Understand the consequences of divorce for children.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Did the Children See the Divorce Coming?

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. High conflict divorces can be as damaging to children as other types of child abuse.

Learning Objective: 15.6: Understand the consequences of divorce for children.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Minimizing Negative Effects of Divorce on Children

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. In a May–December marriage, one partner has previously been married.

Learning Objective: 15.8: Discuss the differences between first marriages and remarriages.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Remarriage for Widowed Individuals

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. A common problem in stepfamilies is that stepchildren are often unsure about what to call their stepparent.

Learning Objective: 15.9 Predict what the future holds for divorce and remarriage

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Stepfamilies

Difficulty Level: Easy

Essay

1. Briefly describe some relationship deal-breakers. What strategy would be most successful in helping you to cope with these deal-breakers in a serious relationship or marital partner?

Learning Objective: 15.2: Review the deal breakers in relationships and the factors involved in ending a relationship.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Deal Breakers

Difficulty Level: Hard

2. During and after a relationship breakup, what is the healthiest social media strategy?

Learning Objective: 15.2: Review the deal breakers in relationships and the factors involved in ending a relationship.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Choices to Make Before Ending a Relationship

Difficulty Level: Hard

3. Think of a divorced couple that you know well (or you may use fictional characters from a book or movie). What are the macro and micro factors that contributed to their divorce? Provide examples to support your assertions.

Learning Objective: 15.3: Identify macro factors associated with divorce. | 15.4: Identify micro factors associated with divorce.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Macro Factors Contributing to Divorce | Micro Factors Contributing to Divorce

Difficulty Level: Hard

4. Describe the different types of alimony. In the modern world, is alimony necessary? Why?

Learning Objective: 15.5: Understand the consequences of divorce for spouses.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Financial Consequences

Difficulty Level: Hard

5. You and your spouse have decided to divorce. What strategies can you use to minimize the negative impact on your children?

Learning Objective: 15.6: Understand the consequences of divorce for children.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Minimizing Negative Effects of Divorce on Children

Difficulty Level: Hard