The Impact of Divorce on Children - Research Paper Example

? The Impact of Divorce on Children Divorce is an event that undermines the structure of the basic unit of society which is the family. This can affect the children in every aspect of their development. The study is aimed to explore the impact of divorce on the children. The first part of the research paper is the discussion of divorce and its prevalence in the society. The second part is the discussion of the different effects of divorce on children which are classified into different categories and aspects. The Impact of Divorce on Children Introduction The family is the basic unit of the society thus it can greatly affect the development of every individual. Divorce is one of the events within the family that can affect the development of the children in multitude of ways. The paper is aimed to discuss and to present the impact of divorce on children. To achieve the said objective the background of divorce which includes the date in the past few years will be discussed. Then, the effects of divorce on children specifically the different aspects and facets of development and behavior will be presented. The data were based on gathered empirical studies and reference books related to the topic. Background Information on Divorce For the past decades, recorded data and observations confirmed the detrimental effects of divorce in the life and development of the children. Based on the standard family environment model that focuses on the optimum conditions for the proper development of children, marital conflict and divorce increase the risk of having problems in the behavior of children (Amato and Cheadle, 2008). In the United States, divorce affects approximately 50 percent of the families and one-half to two-thirds of the said percentage remarry. In addition, one in every six adults remarries two or more times which multiply the effects of divorce a few more times. Fifty percent of the divorce cases have minor children, thus, approximately one million children are affected every year (Portnoy, 2008; Weiten, Lloyd, Dunn and Hammer, 2008). The impact of divorce on children is even compounded by the fact that there are subsequent problems after divorce which include single parental guidance and step parent set-up (Portnoy, 2008). Upon the achievement of a particular perspective about divorce, it is important to determine the specific effect of divorce and the aspects that are affected. Different Effects of Divorce on Children In general, children who had experienced divorce can be affected in any or all aspects of their life from the year of the event through adulthood. There are different aspects affected by divorce. The most significant aspect is behavior but aspects such as financial or economic facets of their life can also be affected (Forst and Blomquist, 1991). Behavioral Effects of Divorce Behavioral aspect of the effects of divorce on children is the most significant facet of the issue since it can result not only to short term but also to long term repercussions. Correcting the negative effects on a child to heal himself and lead a normal life can be considered as the main reason for finding solutions and giving attention to the said aspect. Children who had experienced divorce in the family are observed to have externalizing problems such as aggression and conduct disorder. Higher levels of antisocial behavior can also be observed in children from a family that encountered divorce as compared to children from an intact family. Internalizing problems such as depression, anxiety, and withdrawal are also included in the probable behavioral issues that can be experienced by children with divorced parents (Forst and Blomquist, 1991, p.61) The first two years of the divorce is considered to be the hardest period for the children due to adjustment issues which are based on the effects of separation to either or both of the parents. The effects of other factors after divorce such as single parenting, visitation, and economic difficulties are also classified as adjustment problems (Forst and Blomquist, 1991, p.62). One of the most renowned longitudinal researches on the impact of divorce on children was undertaken by Judith Wallerstein concluded that children from a family of divorced parents are “worried, under-achieving, self-depricating, and angry individuals” (Weiten, Lloyd, Dunn and Hammer, 2008). The behavioral aspect of the problems of children as a result of divorce can be observed through conduct disorders, antisocial behaviors and problems with rules and even the authorities. Delinquent behavior is also another significant effect of divorce which can lead to different social problems for the children in the future such as criminal acts and substance abuse (Portnoy, 2008). Cognitive Aspect and Academic Performance The performance of children in school can also be affected by divorce. This can be attributed that cognitive capabilities and learning capacities of children can be at the optimum level when the child’s environment promotes learning. In the case of divorce wherein the child fails to concentrate, cognitive and school performance is negatively affected (Mooney, Oliver and Smith, 2009). Low academic marks and educational aspirations are indicative of the detrimental effects of divorce. Other observations are lower educational attainment and lower adult occupational status (Portnoy, 2008). Social Aspect The main effect of divorce is related to the problem in the interaction with other people. One of the evident proofs is the problem in establishing different forms of relationship, may it be romantic, friendship and the relationship with other members of the family. This effect results to conflicts with other people and leads to problems in other aspects of life such as school performance (Portnoy, 2008). Possible reasons for the said problem include ‘a sense of conditionality in relationships, wariness to commit, and misconception about divorce as the only way to resolve conflicts within the family (Portnoy, 2008). Basically, the social aspect can affect the other aspects of the child’s life. Financial Aspect The financial aspect can also be affected in the life of the children. Although indirectly, the said aspect can affect and can lead to additional difficulties of the children in coping with the divorce of the parents. Such situation is related to the fact that only one parent’s income can support the needs of the child. The financial aspect of divorce can be considered secondary to the other effects of divorce but it can make the situation more complicated for the child. It can intensify the difficulty of the child to achieve normal development (Forst and Blomquist, 1991). Parameters Affecting the Impact of Divorce There are different parameters that can affect the variations of the effects of divorce on the children specifically the capability to adjust to the situation. These factors include gender, age, temperament, and social cognition. In terms of gender, although both girls and boys can be observed to have difficulty in adjustment compared to children from an intact family. In terms of gender, boys have more difficulties in adjustment as compared to girls. In addition, boys living with the mother have more serious issues than those living with the father. One of the reasons is that opposite gender of parents can have a contradicting rather than reinforcing approach in parenting. Girls then can adjust better with the mothers after divorce and boys can adjust better with the fathers (Forst and Blomquist, 1991, p.62). Age is also another parameter with significant role in the adjustment of the children. The reactions of the children to the divorce of the parents vary on the basis of age. Very young children, e.g. in the preschool years, experience self-blame, behavioral regression, and abandonment issues. For children in their teenage years, moderate depression and feeling of rejection are exhibited. As the children get older, anger and blame for the parents become the main expression of frustration (Forst and Blomquist, 1991, p.63). Temperament can also affect the impact of divorce on children. Children with difficult temperament can have greater difficulty in the event of divorce. Social cognition is also another parameter that can affect the behavior of the children. This factor is responsible for the capability of the child to understand the cause of divorce. Better understanding can lessen the negative repercussions of divorce (Forst and Blomquist, 1991, p.63). Conclusion Based on the research undertaken, divorce has a serious impact in the behavioral, social and cognitive aspects of the children. In addition, difficulties in financial aspect can be experienced, thus, creating more problems that can hinder the development of the children. Parameters such as gender, age, temperament, and social cognition can determine the intensity and severity of the effects of divorce in the life of the children. References Amato, P.R. and Cheadle, J.E. (2008). Parental Divorce, Marital Conflict and Children’s Behavior Problems: A Comparison of Adopted and Biological Children. Social Forces, 86 (3), 1139-61. Forst, M.L. and Blomquist, M.E. (1991). Missing Children: Rhetoric and Reality. Lexington Books. Mooney, A., Oliver, C. and Smith, M. (2009). Impact of Family Breakdown on Children’s Wellbeing Evidence Review. Department for Children, School and Families Research 113. Portnoy, S.M. (2008). The Psychology of Divorce: A Lawyer’s Primer, Part 2: The Effects of Divorce on Children. American Journal of Family Law, 21 (4), 126-34. Weiten, W., Lloyd, M.A., Dunn, D.S. and Hammer, E.Y. (2008). Psychology Applied to Modern Life: Adjustment in the 21st Century. Cengage Learning. Read More