Loyalty Conflicts and Separation Anxiety

Loyalty conflicts (Wallerstein & Kelly 1976), attachment and separation anxiety (Weiss 1976) have also been found to be associated with sole custody arrangements. Some researchers believe that the psychological process underlying post-divorce symptoms in children resemble mourning or bereavement (Hetherington, Cox, & Cox 1978).  Even those authors who do not ascribe to the mourning theory, note that loss, or severe attenuation of the parent-child bond is a real possibility among children and non-custodial parents.  

Sources 

Wallerstein J. S., & Kelly J. B (1976). The Effects of Parental Divorce: Experiences of The Child In Later Latency. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 46(2): 256.

Kelly J. B., & Wallerstein J. S (1976). The Effects of Parental Divorce: Experience of The Child In Early Latency. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 46(1).

Weiss R. S (1976). The Emotional Impact of Marital Separation. Journal of Social Issues. 32: 135-146

Hetherington E., Cox M., & Cox R (1978). The Aftermath of Divorce. In Steven and Mathews (Editors), Mother-Child, Father-Child Relations. National Association for the Education of Young Children: Washington DC