An investigation of changes in functioning of mothers and fathers following divorce is presented in this paper. Subjects were 24 white middle class boys and 24 girls and their divorced parents, from homes in which custody had been granted to the mother, and the same number of children and parents from intact homes. A multimethod approach, including interviews, observations, diary records, and personality measures, was used to assess parent characteristics, child characteristics, and family interaction. Parents and children were administered these measures at two months, one year, and two years following divorce. Results show that when a father leaves the home following divorce, the family system is in a state of disequilibrium. Disorganization and disrupted family functioning seem to peak at one year and be restabilizing by two years following the divorce. Stresses in family functioning following divorce are reflected not only in parent-child relations but in changes in life-style, emotional distress, and changes in attitudes toward the self of the divorced couple. It is suggested that these changes in the parents may be mediating factors in changes in the child's behavior. (Author/BRT)