Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Virginia Journal of Social Policy & the Law
Volume
16
Publication Date
2008
Keywords
public law, legal theory, family law, psychology
Abstract
Despite the well-documented finding in the field of positive psychology that close interpersonal relationships are significantly correlated with subjective well-being and thriving communities, scholars have yet to bring together positive psychology and family law. And what is family law if not the law of close interpersonal relationships? Positive psychology and related work have the potential to inform the what, the why, and the how of family law, but realizing the potential of positive psychology as a guide for family law involves challenges. In particular, it requires translating the descriptive science of psychology into the prescriptive policies of family law. This Essay addresses this translation question by exploring the indeterminacies inherent in positive psychology and identifying productive ways forward.
Recommended Citation
Clare Huntington,
Happy Families - Translating Positive Psychology into Family Law, 16 Va. J. Soc. Pol'y & L. 385
(2008-2009)
Available at: https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/faculty_scholarship/179
