Divorce is a significant and mounting problem influencing children’s social and academic development. It has been found to be one of the most traumatic events that can occur in the life of a child (Beverly, Molloy, Hart, Ginsberg & Mulvey, 2007). Support groups have been found to have a positive effect on students by helping them deal with the situation constructively and mitigating their attention back onto their academic performance and positive peer relations (Beverly et al, 2007). Corey, Corey and Corey (2014) highlight the first step in planning a group is to come up with a proposal. This purpose of this paper is to put forth that proposal for implementation of a divorce support group in a particular school setting. School Guidance Counseling Group: When Parents Divorce A significant portion of children in the United States are impacted by divorce. Empirical investigations verify that children of divorce are at a heightened risk for the development of psychological, social, behavioral and academic issues (Amato, 2000; Amato, 2001). Amato and Keith (1991) studied the welfare of children of divorce compared with that of children whose parents are still married to each other. Children from divorced families scored considerably lower on a range of outcomes and it was shown that these problems can persist into adulthood. Given the high rate of divorce and the negative effects it has on our youth, the implementation of effective prevention programs has great significance (Wolchik, West, Sandler, Tein, Coatsworth, & Lengua, 2000). Rationale When considering the implementation of a school based counseling group it is important to consider the evidence. The use of data-based practices in such groups requires tha... ... middle of paper ... ... and if the group helped them. This will serve as a way to bring closure to the group while also obtaining evaluation from the student’s perspective. Discussion around this topic will include a prompting for the student to complete the sentence “One way I have grown since the divorce is…” and also highlighting the most important thing they have learned from participating in the group. We will also go over the topics discussed, and the techniques learned in order that I can make an assessment of knowledge and growth. As a culminating activity I would ask that the students draw a picture to symbolize the ways that they have grown in their capacity to cope with the divorce or take better care of their physical, mental or emotional wellbeing. At the conclusion of the group, students will share their pictures with the group and also discuss ways to seek outside help.
The most important question asked in this article is why does evaluation matter in school counseling? One of the reasons why evaluation is so important in school counseling is because when you evaluate an intervention program you can see how you are making a difference for the students. The school counselor has a professional responsibility to show that what is being done in the program is effective. Also, it is important to evaluate school counseling programs because key stakeholders like parents, administrators, and school board can help justify the reasoning for resources for the school counseling program. The need to evaluate school counseling programs is even more important today as it was many years ago. Collaboration and teamwork will make evaluation more doable. Evaluation of local school?s intervention programs matters to the parents, administrators, and members of that community. The article goes into detail about what evaluation is and how it is not the same as research. School counselors can have an intervention or a program put in place at their school. They can evaluate an intervention and a program and see what the outcome is. There are many different types of evaluation. There are formative, implementation and outcome evaluation. The article expresses how important partnering and collaboration is with the school counselors and stakeholders. Partnering with the teachers and parents at the school can help lessen the workload for the school counselor. This review is important because it discusses how evaluation is important in a school counseling program. Evaluating and holding a school counseling program accountable is one step in being able to determine the effects the program have on the students and the school. The more counselors are able to show that their program is effective the more funding and
Pérusse, R. V. (2009). Group counseling in the schools. Psychology In The Schools, 46(3), 225-231.
Counselors are very dependent on the research of others. Counselors are among many who are responsible for producing evidence based practice. Counselors have a responsibility to be eager and capable of locating and using evidence based interventions. Research reports are used to help summarize the findings of different types of research in the counseling profession. The results of a research report should summarize the findings of the research. According to Sheperis, Young, and Daniels 2010, “it should be easy for the reader to connect the findings with the stated research questions and to determine whether the finding support or refute your hypothesis” (p.239). The following are two challenges that the counseling profession is faced with when it comes to outcome research: (1) producing sufficient volumes of evidence and (2) being able to find, interpret, and use the evidence from previous research. These challenges place a limit on the variety of interventions that are available to the counseling profession. One intervention that works for one child, might not produce the same results for another child. So it is very important that research provides information that is useful and effective. The lack of studies makes it more challenging to determine whether or not an intervention is an effective solution that will improve a student’s behavior or academics. “Ultimately, regardless of how effective a counselor may be, if the problems are not properly measured and assessed, intervention is disadvantaged and treatment is comprised” (Sheperis, Young, & Daniels, 2010, p. 3). In order to best serve clients we have to complete comprehensive research and use the results to the advantage of the client.
The dramatic rise in the rate of divorce in the United States between 1960 and 1980 is well known, and even more so are the high divorce rates over the past twenty years. In 1970, twelve percent of American families with children under age eighteen were headed by single parents, and by 1984, one-fourth of American families and nearly sixty percent of black families were headed by single parents (Demo & Acock, 1988, p. 619). These high divorce rates have resulted in numerous changes in American family life. While predictions vary, the consensus is that most youth will spend some time prior to age eighteen in a single-parent household based on recent social and demographic trends. Individuals with divorced parents are at increased risk of experiencing psychological problems in adulthood (Amato & Sobolewski, 2001, p. 900). Growing up divorced has become an alternative developmental path for a substantial number of children in this country (Kalter, 1987, p. 587). These trends in family composition have major repercussions for the life course of children and their well-being. Studies have shown that adults with divorced parents, when compared with adults with continuously married parents, report to greater unhappiness, less satisfaction with life, a weaker sense of control, more symptoms of anxiety and depression, and a greater use of mental health services. Overall, most children of divorced parents have experienced dramatic declines in their economic circumstances, abandonment by one or both of their parents, the diminished capacity of both parents to attend meaningfully and constructively to their children’s needs, and diminished contact with many familiar or potential sources of psychological support.
They have to get used to a further living area, feelings and circumstances. Their response to divorce can vary and depends on age, gender, and personal characteristics. This essay will show the effects of divorce on children under various aspects such as educational, psychological and social impact. In addition, it will contain data about the divorce rate in the US and present disparate reactions of children. It will also include adequate recommendations for parents as to how to act on children after divorce, in order to minimize the adverse effect on children.
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.
Divorce is a very common word in today's society. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, "divorce is the legal dissolution of a marriage or a complete or radical severance of closely connected things"(Pickett, 2000). This dissolution of marriage has increased very rapidly in the past fifty years. In 1950 the ratio of divorce to marriage was one in every four; in 1977 that statistic became one in two. Currently one in every two first marriages results in divorce. In second marriages that figure is considerably higher, with a 67% average (National Vital Statistics Report, 2001). One critical aspect of divorce is often not taken into consideration: How it affects children. Every year 1.1 million children are affected by divorce (Benjamin, 2000). Children from divorce or separation often exhibit behavioral and long-term adjustment problems (Kelly, 2000). Throughout this paper I will discuss divorces effects on children at different age levels, how they react, and what can be done to help them.
283). Therefore; any counseling program wanting to make a real change should be held to the highest standards and be evaluated for current and future progress (Houser, 2015). As applied to this paper the population and the goals of the group counseling program should be clearly laid out. The definition of progress should be defined and if a specific timeline for progress is desired it should be made clear. Ultimately; conducting a program evaluation of the proposed program in this paper will demonstrate if the existence of such a program is working and if so then the evaluation can serve as a platform to ensure its
Richardson, Christina D. Rosen, Lee A. “School-Based Interventions For Children Of Divorce.” Professional School Counseling 3.1 (1999): 21. Vocational and Career Collection.Web. 26 Feb. 2014
It is unfortunate that marriages sometimes end and there are children caught in the middle of the marriage but it may be worst for the parents to stay together simply for the children’s sake. However when parents do divorce the children are the most effected by the divorce. Often enough the divorce causes children to feel displaced and also to have feelings that their world is coming to an end. These children tend to grow into adults with either extreme emotional detachment and self-esteem issues or they will have strong family values and try to prevent the cycle from repeating itself but the majority of these children grow up suffering from the divorce.
One of the earliest noticeable negative effects of divorce is on children’s academic life. They are the ones who are strongly affected, because they might think it is their fault because of their parent’s divorce. In addition, they have to learn how to overcome and deal with their parent’s divorce at a very early age, which is very difficult because the child must get support to get through one of the most difficult situations in their lives. For example, Sara, my cousin, experienced her parent’s divorce at a very young age. Which led her to consider adapting to a new life change. Sara went through a lot of pressure, depression, and giving up on many things that she had when her parents were by her side. The divorce of her parents affected Sara’s academic life, day by day her grades decreased, because of lack of concentration and giving up on her life. After three...
Children who experience the divorce of their biological parents often have a hard time creating social cohesion among their new stepfamilies, stepsiblings, school dynamics, and extracurricular relationships. Following through the different research and results, I could see that children lack a sense of security following the dissolution of a marriage. Those children were self-reported to lack the knowledge of problem solving skills, communication skills, and self confidence that their counterparts who were raised in intact families possessed. This in turn affected their own adult relationships and often the decision on whether to have children of their own. Looking at the blended family dynamic will be beneficial for society on a macro level considering that the majority of today’s children are being raised in blended family environments.
Intuitively, we just know that children should be raised by two married parents living together peacefully. But study or research shows that about 80 percent of children of divorce adapt well and see no lasting negatif effect on their mental health, social adjustment, or grades. These findings arrive from a variety of sources, including 20 year of study by psycologist Constance Ahrons. Dr. Constance Ahrons publish a book called “We’re Still Family”. And a psychologist Mavis Hetherington’s work following 2,500 children divorce and showing that 80 percent of the kids doing well.
Considering that over 45 percent of marriages today end in divorce, it is crucial to understand recent research regarding the positive and negative effects of divorce on children’s mental health. Studies have shown that although children of broken homes generally have more adjustment difficulties than children of intact families, the distinction between these two groups appears to be much less significant than previously assumed (1). In the case of parental separation, studies suggest that children undergo a decline in the standard of living, exhibit poorer academic performance, engage in increased alcohol/ substance abuse, as well as experience diminishing rates of employment. However, underlying factors must be taken into consideration when assessing the long-term consequence of divorce on children, which happens to be resiliency rather than dysfunction (1). These key contextual factors that influence post-divorce adjustment include parenting styles, custody arrangements, age of the child, financial stability, and most importantly, the nature and magnitude of parental conflict. Persistent, unsettled conflict or violence is linked to greater emotional anxiety and psychological maladjustment in children, whereas negative symptoms like fear and insecurity are reduced when parents resolve their conflicts through compromise and negotiation. Although divorce unveils many risk factors involving a child’s health, it may be more beneficial rather than detrimental to children living in highly discorded families, in which children are able to acquire externalizing and internalizing behaviors (1). The development of coping skills and living in a supportive and empathetic environment are two crucial components for children to manage their ne...
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.