Hidden cost of conflict: An interdisciplinary examination between family law, therapeutic jurisprudence, justice, and work productivity for employed adults

There is limited understanding of the experience of adults going through the court system to obtain a divorce. Linking the legal process of divorce for employed adults to workplace productivity has not been researched. The method of adjudication of divorce has not been linked to health or occupational outcomes. Results could have compelling implications for corporate work/life programs and public policy. Individuals experiencing heavy demands by either family responsibilities or work demands are at risk for poor mental and physical health outcomes. The role the legal system plays in the variability of stress reactions is unknown. Interdisciplinary knowledge may be useful to clarify the correlation among multiple variables to illuminate the variability in the divorcing response. Family friendly workplaces research has informed as to the cost of stress on employees' physical and mental health outcomes. Recognizing that the probability of substantial rates of divorce will continue to affect society, this inquiry seeks to suggest the need to employ an interdisciplinary design to inform threats to occupational performance.