This paper reports a segment of a larger study of the children of divorcing parents, seen at the time of the marital breakup and again one year later. It describes the nature of the responses of young, middle, and older preschool

children. The critical finding presented is that fifty per cent of the sample showed significant disturbance of functioning in the one-year follow-up. This is particularly noteworthy because the sample is of children previously judged developmentally adequate, and conservative standards were used in determining maladaptive functioning. The paper is of special interest to analysts, since they deal with so many patients in the process of divorcing and are in a position to observe and have impact on the children involved.