The Effect of Conflict Divorce on Childrens Behavior - Research Paper Example

The Effect of Conflict Divorce on Children’s Behavior Outline Introduction Provides a general overview of the current status of divorce in the United States, as well as information on children who are affected by the divorce; Indicates the thesis statement as: children from conflict divorce develop negative behavioral issues. Effects of Divorce on Children The effects are explained using three different points of views of various authors and three theoretical perspectives: (1) the standard family environment model; (2) the passive genetic model; and (3) the child effects model; Divorce creates negative impact on the behavior of children as manifested in six behavioral problems that were manifested; Divorce of parents, per se, is not solely instrumental and contributory to the behavioral problems of children. Conclusion The \studies support that children from conflict divorce develop negative behavioral issues; but not all children of divorced parents manifest behavioral problems. Abstract The current discourse aims to proffer pertinent issues relative to the effect of conflict divorce on children’s behavior. A brief introduction would present the overview of divorce rates in the United States; as well as the parallel trend being exhibited by divorce rates. Likewise, it is asserted that the thesis statement is children from conflict divorce develop negative behavioral issues. From support of authoritative secondary sources of information, the thesis would be examined in terms of what some authors have contended regarding the effect of divorce on the children’s behavior. Using three different theoretical perspectives, the various points of views of three authors would be expounded. These theoretical perspectives include: (1) the standard family environment model; (2) the passive genetic model; and (3) the child effects model. In sum, it was concluded that although children have higher propensities of developing behavioral problems that ensue from their parents’ divorce, there are more contributory factors that need to be incorporated to affirm consistency of validating the results to indicate that the same is true for all children at all times. The Effect of Conflict Divorce on Children’s Behavior Marriage is regarded as a solemn union and one of the sacraments that binds two people as one. Through the years, various studies and researches have documented the evolving patterns and trends in marriage; as well as the factors that lead married people towards divorce. In the United States, the information provided by the U.S. Bureau of Census on marriage and divorce rates revealed declining rates for both indices. Marriage rates, for instance, declined from 9.8% in 1990, to 8.3% in 2000 and further lowering to 6.8% in 2009; for a cumulative decline rate of 17%. On the other hand, divorce rates also exhibited declining trends where the following figures were reflected: 4.7% (1990); 4.1% (2000); and 3.4 (2009); signifying an average cumulative decline rate of 15% over the period under study [USB121]. Despite the declining pattern, agencies that monitor children who are adversely affected by their parents’ divorce remain to disclose alarming facts that include preponderance to emotional, physical, health, and behavioral problems [Chind1]. In this regard, the current discourse aims to proffer that children from conflict divorce develop negative behavioral issues. Effects of Divorce on Children In the study conducted by Kim (2011), the author evaluated the consequences of divorce on the developmental stages of growth of children, the author’s findings revealed that there were apparent “negative effects of divorce even after accounting for selection factors that influence children’s skills and traits at or before the beginning of the dissolution process” [Kim11]. However, this assertion was countered with the study conducted by Li (2010) who averred that “divorce, in and of itself, is not the cause of the elevated behavior problems we see in children of divorce” [LiJ10]. The article written by Amato & Cheadle (2008) apparently revealed that balanced contention that “not all children who experience divorce or who grow up with chronically discordant parents develop serious problems” (p. 1139). The explanations provided by Amato and Cheadle (2008) using three theoretical perspectives that aim to provide justifiable rationale that links marital distress and children’s behavior, to wit: (1) the standard family environmental model, which asserts that conflict divorce creates increased tendencies for children to exhibit problematic behavior; (2) the passive genetic model allegedly contends that marital discord is most likely an effect of either parents exhibiting genetic and personality traits and disorders; and as such, there is more propensities of transferring these traits to the children who could manifest higher risks of developing behavioral problems; and (3) the child effects model asserts that “children who exhibit an elevated number of problems put stress on their parents' marriages, resulting in greater discord” [Ama08]. The findings of this particular study actually supported the standard family environmental model where marital discord and conflict divorce significantly increases the risk of exposing children to assume behavioral problems, which corroborates Kim’s (2011) research. With Amato & Cheadle’s (2008) study, the authors focused on identifying six behavioral problems manifested by children, such as: (1) exhibiting academic problems like repeating a particular grade level; (2) being troublesome in school; (3) increasing the likelihood of suspension or expulsion in the academic setting; (4) engaging in activities that take the risks of being caught or wanted by law enforcements; (5) requiring the professional advice of medical practitioners or therapist due to manifested behavioral problems; and (6) intentionally espouse challenges in raising the child within the family environment. Li’s (2010) findings signified that divorce, per se, is not the instrumental contributory factor for children’s manifestation of behavioral problems. As expounded, the author rationalized that the personality, affection, and support accorded to children have a significant effect on the children’s behavior. As asserted, parents who are indifferent, disengaged, or unloving are intensely detrimental to the emotional growth and development of the children. “The lack of love on the part of one or both parents may increase the chance that the parents will divorce, but it may also create behavior problems in children whether or not their parents divorce. If so, we should not attribute the worse behavior of their children to the divorce itself, but to the impact of the unloving parent or parents” [LiJ10]. Conclusion These authors have tried to establish the direct link between the parents’ marital discord, the divorce, per se, and the effect of the divorce on the children’s behavior. From the arguments that were expounded and supported using various methods and support from authoritative sources, it could be deduced that although children have higher propensities of developing behavioral problems that ensue from their parents’ divorce, there are more contributory factors that need to be incorporated to confirm that the situation is validated and true for all children at all times. As part of one’s evaluation, it could be presumed that adults take the best interests of children who faced the divorce of their parents. This means that either parent would work out ways in assuming the responsibility of according continued support. In fact, it was emphasized that “behavioral/emotional problems are multidetermined and that a comprehensive account will include numerous biological as well as other socializing factors, such as parental psychopathology and parents’ educational level” [Sta10]. Conclusively, parents’ behavior and actions, whether good or bad, significantly influence the behavior of children and become imbibed as part of their overall personality. References USB121: , (U.S. Bureau of Census, 2012), Chind1: , (Children and Divorce, n.d.), Kim11: , (Kim, 2011), LiJ10: , (Li, 2010, p. 173), Ama08: , (Amato & Cheadle, 2008, p. 1153), LiJ10: , (Li, 2010, p. 175), Sta10: , (Stadelmann, Perren, Groeben, & Von Klitzing, 2010, p. 104), Read More