Parental Depression During A Divorce - Research Paper Example

Parental Depression During A Divorce Introduction: Parents play a key role in the lives of their children. In civilized societies, the family is considered as the fundamental social unit in which people are bonded with each other in a strong relationship. Anything, which dismantles this social unit, leaves its adverse effects directly on the primary relations. Divorce or separation between the parents or the parental depression can have its negative effects on the minds of the children. It has been estimated that more than half of the first marriages end up in divorce (Cherlin, 1992). Divorce can be termed as a disruptive experience that affects negatively over 1.5 million children and young adults only in the United States. It has also been observed that 50% of the children under the age of 18 years are affected greatly by the divorce between their parents (Steinberg, 1996). These children are faced with different psychological disorders due to parental depression and divorce. Several factors contribute towards divorce or separation between the parents. Parental depression is one of the factors that trigger the causes of divorce and ultimately it leaves its adverse effects on the minds and personalities of the minors. Parental Depression and its Effects on Children: Several factors are associated with adolescent depression. These also include highly stressful and depressive life events and relationships with friends and family members. Parental depression is also a very strong influence that causes depression and many other psychiatric disorders in children (Weissman et al., 1987, 1997). Divorces are the result of high stress and depression among parents. In other words, we can say that parental depression and marital discord are interrelated with one another. Parental depression not only dismantles the structure of family unit but it also adversely affects the functioning of family and parenting (Keitner and Miller, 1990). Troubles and different vicissitudes in parenting may include lack of attention and decreased parent-child communication and interaction. It has also been analyzed that stressed mothers lack the ability to play a positive role in the lives of their children. Such mothers are unable to raise their children in a proper, organized and disciplined manner. Due to their hostile and highly depressive attitude, such mothers become more critical with their children (Gordon et al., 1989). Such depressive attitude of parents may result in shattering the psychological and emotional health of a child. As a result, children are expected to grow up as depressive adults who are expected to adopt the immoral behavior, may commit suicide, and lack the efficiency to study and concentrate on their jobs or even to become good parents for their children in future. Consequences of Parental Divorce on Children: Divorce causes irreparable damages on the personalities, mental health and destructs the well-being of children. Children are highly affected by the divorce between their parents, which negatively affects them throughout their lives. It has been analyzed that divorce is one of the factors that put children at a high risk of different problems. Children find it hard to cope with this painful experience and almost all children are equally faced with the same amount of greater pain that torments them mentally (Gordon et al., 1989). It has been analyzed that children appear as strong and resilient during the divorcing period between their parents but it takes them almost 2-3 years to recover from the severity of the issue. However, on the other hand, some children are affected more than others are and it is more likely that such children are the ones who are negatively affected by the divorce between their parents. Even children with strong and resilient behavior are also seen countering against the challenge of overcoming this stressful experience for a long time. There are different factors that contribute together to shaping and influencing the personality of the children that are faced by the divorce experience between their parents (Downey and Coyne, 1990). Children of divorce are also faced with the stressful experience of different events or conflicts between their parents that affect them. Insufficient attention from parents, parental depression or any other problematic factor may result in damaging the psychological health of a child. Therefore, in short, we can say that divorce can be one of the factors that cause huge damages to the children especially when such children are faced with extreme parental depression or any sort of conflict between them. In a way, divorce is the main source of all the problems for children. Social, Emotional and Physical Health Consequences of Divorce on Children: Not all children are faced by extreme depression after the divorce between their parents. Some children are strong enough to grow up as healthy human beings and become more productive after this stressful event occurs. However, it has been observed that despite the fact that they grow up as healthy human beings with sound minds and health, these children are at a higher risk of extreme emotional setbacks. However, there are also some children who are not faced with emotional long-term trauma (Keitner and Miller, 1990). Children of divorce are faced with loneliness. Their loneliness revolves around the idea of losing a parent, most commonly children fear to lose their fathers from divorce. It has also been analyzed that when the parents' divorce, such children are expected to lose their association from their families; lack of interest and lack of interaction develop between the parents and the children. As a result, such children are less likely to cultivate any friendship with anyone from school or in the neighborhood and this factor contributes to the increased feeling of loneliness. Children are also seen fearing emotional stress. They become more insecure on the thought of losing one parent especially with whom they are more attached. Such children may show extreme anger, may become indiscipline, break rules more often, high involvement in drugs and alcohol, suicide attempts, increased isolation, sleep problems may occur and, may involve in early sexual activities or show lack of interest in studies (Downey and Coyne, 1990). These children know little or nothing about how to co-operate in a defined setting, how to negotiate or compromise and how to behave in an organized manner. References Cherlin, AJ (1992), Demographic Trends. In Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage (pp 6-30). Cambridge: Harvard University Press Downey G, Coyne JC (1990), Children of depressed parents: an integrative review. Psychol Bull 108:50Y76 Gordon D, Burge D, Hammen C, Adrian C, Jaenicke C, Hiroto D (1989), Observations of interactions of depressed women with their children. Am J Psychiatry 146:50Y55 Keitner GI, Miller IW (1990), Family functioning and major depression: an overview. Am J Psychiatry 147:1128Y1137 Steinberg L (1996) Adolescence. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc Weissman MM, Fendrich M, Warner V, Wickramaratne P (1992) Incidence of psychiatric disorder in offspring at high and low risk for depression. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 31:640–648. Weissman MM, Warner V, Wickramaratne P, Moreau D, Olfson M (1997) Offspring of depressed parents: 10 years later. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 54:932– 940. Read More