In 1987, Gross conducted interviews with a sample of children from divorced families focusing on parent-child relationships. Which pattern was reported most often by those children who were the most dissatisfied with their lives?

• A. augmentation
• B. reduction
• C. retention
• D. substitution

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is how children’s perceptions of changes in their relationships with their parents after divorce relate to how satisfied they feel overall. In Gross’s 1987 interviews with children from divorced families, those who were most dissatisfied with their lives most often described a reduction in their parent–child relationships. That means fewer interactions, less closeness, and diminished emotional or practical support from both parents after the divorce. When the level of parental involvement and connection declines, children tend to feel less secure and more unhappy, which explains why this pattern is most commonly reported by the most dissatisfied.

Augmentation would imply more closeness or involvement with a parent, which would typically align with higher satisfaction. Retention means no change in the relationship level, which doesn’t account for the greater dissatisfaction observed. Substitution involves a replacement of a parent with another figure, which can be distressing but, in Gross’s findings, the broader reduction in contact and closeness was the pattern most associated with the prevalence of dissatisfaction.