Teachers' Generalized Expectations of Children of Divorce

Abstract

This study examined teachers' generalized expectations for children living with their divorced vs married mothers. Teachers held significantly more negative expectations on 14 expectancy variables for children living with divorced mothers than for children living in traditional two-parent families. Teachers also had more negative expectations for boys living with divorced mothers than for girls from the same family setting, but there were no differences between teachers' expectations of boys and girls from traditional two-parent families. Results are discussed with respect to teachers' generalized expectations possibly becoming self-fulfilling prophecies.