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Abstract of the psychological effects of divorce on children
Abstract of the psychological effects of divorce on children
Divorce and its effect on children research paper
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Statistics show that couples with children are 26% less likely to get a divorce than couples without children. About 40% of couples with children get a divorce while 66% of couples without children get a divorce (Divorce Statistics). Every year an average of 1 million divorces occur in the United States, and women initiate the divorce 65% of the time. The leading causes of divorce are lack of communication and indisputable differences. Often times children that have parents who go through divorce are mentally and emotionally unstable. Children that have parents who are divorced or who are in the process of going through a divorce respond and react differently.
There are four major effects that divorce has on a child: stress, risk, resilience, and painful memories with ongoing worries (Emery). Most children do not want to see their parents' marriage end in a divorce unless there is major conflict or they are arguing constantly. Children often blame themselves for their parents' divorce. Hetherington, a psychology professor at the University of Virginia, found up to 25 percent of children with divorced parents "have critical long term social, emotional or psychological problems," compared to 10 percent of children from intact families (James). Children benefit from having their parents together.
Stress is one of the biggest effects that divorce has on children. Children are often torn between parents. Some families have a routine of one week with one parent and one week with the other, which is referred to as joint custody. In some cases the child will choose or the court will determine that the child is to live with one parent. Children find the most stress from this situation because they aim to please both parents, but the chi...
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Divorce is becoming a worldwide phenomenon, significantly affecting children’s well-being. It radically changes their future, causing detrimental effects. According to (Julio Cáceres-Delpiano and Eugenio Giolito, 2008) nearly 50% of marriages end with divorce. 90% of children who lived in the USA in the 1960s stayed with their own biological parents, whereas today it makes up only 40% (Hetherington, E. Mavis, and Margaret Stanley-Hagan, 1999). Such an unfavorable problem has been increasing, because in 1969, the California State Legislature changed the divorce laws, where spouses could leave without providing cause (Child Study Center, 2001).
Divorce is a heavy concept that has many implications for those involved. The situation becomes even more consequential when children are considered. As divorce has become more commonplace in society, millions of children are affected by the separation of the nuclear family. How far-reaching are these effects? And is there a time when divorce is beneficial to the lives of the children? This paper will examine some of the major research and several different perspectives regarding the outcomes of divorce for the children involved, and whether it can actually be in the best interest of the kids.
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Most people, when thinking about divorce, worry about the impact that it has on the children that are involved. Even though children are most likely better off if totally incompatible parents separate instead of staying together, divorce is about loss and change, and it is still hard for children. Everyone knows that divorce has its effects on children. There are three different sources that try to explain these effects. Graham Blaine Jr. states that divorce is a threat to all children, whereas Rhona Mahony states that divorce is not always the cause of behavioral or academic problems in children coming from divorced families. Yvette Walczak and Sheila Burns state that the extent of the damage can be determined by the parents and their methods of explanation to the children.
Divorce is a process that many people in America go through. The divorce rate continues to escalate over the years. Divorce is a serious problem, it is a gradual process that ultimately results in families breaking up. There are various factors in which a marriage can fail and end up in divorce. Some skip the step of trying to reconcile things and make it work. In some cases it is easy for a divorce to take place. For instance, in cases where both parties are in agreement and have no children it is easier to handle a divorce. But in the cases where children are present, what happens to the kids? Both parents are at each others throats or one is devastated from the rejection, what role does the child play? It is a hard thing to cope with as an adult imagine as a little one or even a teenager, it affects them in more ways than anyone can imagine. It can affect them both physically and emotionally. The effects of divorce are immense, it permanently weakens the bond or relationship between a child and his parents. Can lead to them reaching out or looking to others for attention, causing poor attitudes, low self esteem, dropping grades, loss of virginity, use of drugs and or weapons, or in some cases mutilation of the body. There are various effects that children have to deal with that maybe extremely hard to cope with. One parent may say one thing yet the other disagrees and makes it impossible for the child to have a stable relationship with both of them. Children need both biological parents at their side to be guardians and counselors in their lives, to be examples of what they need to do to become outstanding citizens in our community.
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In terms of the impact on the family, many find that a divorce affects the children the most. Families of those who have dealt with a child of divorce typically see the child having a rough time between parents and often create a hope that their parents will reunite (Pickland, Carl). This shows that children have it the worst during a divorce. This false hope that is created is confusing to the child. The child struggles to appear as if everything is ok, while in the child's mind a bottle of fears is bubbling up (Pickardt, Carl).
In the world we live in today, divorce has unfortunately become a normal thing in our lives. Many married couples are getting divorced for many reasons; problems in the marriage, either a spouse having an affair, a loss of feelings, and many other types of complications. Many divorces involve children who are young and due to their age do not understand what is really going on. We all know someone who has dealt with divorce. Children are the ones who are typically affected the most by the divorce and they will have to learn to cope with their parent’s divorce at such a young age, affecting them in positive or negative ways.
Marriage is no longer taken seriously; commitment and monogamy are no longer an essential ingredient. For most couples today, it’s not even considered a part of marriage. The negative effects that divorce has on children should be the number one consideration when a couple hits that hard time in their relationship. Children are psychologically and socially affected by divorce and may need counseling either at the time of their parent’s divorce or in the future. They may react instantly by getting lower grades or becoming depressed or anxious.
According to Time Magazine over one million children each year suffer from a divorce of their parents. Over the years, America has suffered greater amounts of divorces each year. Divorce is a heartbreaking consequence of an unhealthy relationship that has been given up on. However, there does not need to be this many divorces each year. People could just be giving up without first knowing all the consequences it comes with. Divorce is definitely not the easy way out like some would believe. Evidence in social science journals demonstrates that the devastating physical, emotional, and financial effects that divorce is having on these children will last well into adulthood and many
Over 60 percent of couples seeking a divorce have children still living at home. ( 6) What some parents don’t realize when they file for a divorce is the great impact that it will have on their kids. Divorce affects children in many ways. It affects kids emotionally and causes them to experience feelings such as fear, loss, anger and confusion. Divorce also hurts a child’s academic achievement. Children whose parents divorce generally have poorer scores on tests and a higher dropout rate. (3)