Effects of Divorce on Children's Achievements in School - Research Proposal Example

Running Head: Research Proposal A study on the effects of divorce on children and their academic /social performance in school 16th October 2010 By _____________________________ Abstract Divorce is technically the formal dissolution of marriage which is more often conceived as the catalyst for the increasing family fragmentation characterizing contemporary western societies. Some of the previous studies with regard to effects of divorce on children's education have led to a conclusion that there is no significant effect once adequate controls for social class are introduced. In a longitudinal study carried out by Cherlin, Furstenberg, Chase-Lansdale, Kiernan, Robins, Morrison and Teitler (1991) it was revealed that the academic performance of the children, both boys and girls, has reduced as compared to their previous performance when their parents didn't separated. The present study makes an attempt to study the consequences of divorce on the child's education and academic achievement as compared to their previous academic records. The present study is a descriptive study because it involves comparison of previous existing academic records about the students and comparing the same with the latest records which will help to analyze the effect of divorce on their academic brilliance. Introduction The development of society has led to many changes in the lives of people. The new age of information has resulted in changing attitudes with regard to their approach towards life and relationship which was earlier a bonding of different lives. The approach, the present paper highlights is about divorce which is ever increasing in developed countries, but developing nations are not left behind as the trend is followed over there too. Divorce is technically the formal dissolution of marriage which is more often conceived as the catalyst for the increasing family fragmentation characterizing contemporary western societies. It is further important to mention that divorce reflects the changing societal values and norms concerning marriage, gender, children, parenting and care giving (David Clarke, 2007). According to Bane (cited in Hetherington, Cox and Cox, 1982) high rate of divorce per se is not a matter for concern in a society that values individual choice, even though some of the consequences may warrant societal attention. Divorce, in legal terms, is an end to marriage but the separation has greater impact on various factors which also includes children's welfare, education and their academic and social development. According to Bumpass (cited in Keith and Finlay, 1988), the increasing prevalence of divorce involving children is an important topic which needs to be studied over the period of time so as to ascertain the effects of divorce on their academic achievements. Some of the previous studies with regard to effects of divorce on children's education have led to a conclusion that there is no significant effect once adequate controls for social class are introduced. In a longitudinal study carried out by Cherlin, Furstenberg, Chase-Lansdale, Kiernan, Robins, Morrison and Teitler (1991) it was revealed that the academic performance of the children, both boys and girls, has reduced as compared to their previous performance when their parents didn't separated. However it is pertinent to mention here that the effect of divorce in girls was minimal as compared to that of boys. An early research into the effects of divorce on young minds by Judith Wallerstein and her colleagues which included 60 divorced couples and their 131 children, it was revealed that almost half of the participants were characterized as worried, underachieving, self deprecating and sometimes angry young man and women (Weiten, Lloyd, Dunn and Hammer, 2008). Research Methodology Research is a way of thinking, critically examining the various aspects of the subject being studied, understanding and formulating guiding principles that govern a particular procedure; and developing and testing new theories (Kumar, 2005). According to Kothari (2008) research is a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic. The purpose of any research is to gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights on the topic, to test a hypothesis of a casual relationship between variables or to find answer to a particular question or set of questions related to particular individual, group or anything. In order to carry out research, it is necessary to design the course of study and how it will be conducted. According to Kumar (2005) research designs are a plan, structure and strategy of investigation so conceived as to obtain answers to research questions or problems. The present study tends to find answers pertaining to the consequences of divorce on children's education and their academic achievement. The study will also compare the effects of divorce between boys and girls and will be analyzed by their class, financial and family support. In order to find related answers to the aforementioned questions; mixed research method will be used which includes collection of data through quantitative as well as qualitative technique. The present study is a descriptive study because it involves comparison of previous existing academic records about the students and comparing the same with the latest records which will help to analyze the effect of divorce on their academic brilliance. Children's for the purpose of study will be taken from one public school. Samples for the study will selected through a random questionnaire which will be circulated among all the students asking general questions including their parental status which will help to identify the students for the purpose of research. However, it is important to mention here that prior permission will be received by the school authorities, i.e. Principal or Head Mistress duly explaining the purpose and scope of the study. A letter will addressed to the Principal seeking permission in this regard assuring of confidentiality. It is proposed to study 50 students, boys and girls, which is so limited because of social concerns which may lead to further tension among the children. So the limitation is mainly to comprise the study to fewer students and complete the study as soon as possible by comparing their academic records. The research will also include documentation of secondary data from earlier research studies and published works. Primary data will be analyzed in a descriptive method presenting the details and comparing the records in different variables pertaining to children like gender, social status, financial background and separation time of their parents. The data analysis will be presented in tabular as well as in graphical format to give a clear picture of the study. Need for the present study Though previous studies have tried to answer the effects of divorce on children's education, time has changed now and so is the society and its values. Therefore it is necessary to study the effects of divorce on children's education and their academic achievements in present time where rate of divorce is ever increasing with 50% of marriages being estimated to end in divorce, according to the Americans for Divorce Reforms (Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, 2009). In these circumstances, it is assumed that the termination of relationship will have a definite impact of their children as proved by the earlier studies and similarly, the present study makes an attempt to study the consequences of divorce on the child's education and academic achievement as compared to their previous academic records. Objectives of the study 1. To study the effects of divorce on children, in general 2. To study the effects of divorce on children's academic performance and 3. To evaluate the data according to various variables to identify the effects of divorce on children depending upon their financial background and family support References 1. Dr. C.R. Kothari, (2008) Research Methodology : Methods And Techniques, Ed.2nd New Age International, Delhi 2. Kumar, Ranjit (2005) Research methodology: a step-by-step guide for beginners, Ed 2nd, Sage Publications, India 3. David S. Clark ed (2007) Encyclopedia of Law and Society: American and Global Perspectives, Vol. 1, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, pp. 430-434 4. Hetheringtom, E.M, Cox, Martha and Cox, Roger (1982) Effects of Divorce on Parents and Children, Micheal E Lamb, Non Traditional Families: Parenting and Child Development, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, London, pp. 233 5. Keith V.M and Finlay, B (1988) The Impact of Parental Divorce on Children's Educational Attainment, Marital Timing and Likelihood of Divorce, Journal of Marriage and the Family, Vol 50, pp797-809 AJ Cherlin,FF Furstenberg Jr,L Chase-Lansdale,KE Kiernan,PK Robins,DR Morrison,andJO Teitler (1991) Longitudinal studies of effects of divorce on children in Great Britain and the United States, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Vol 252, Issue 5011, 1386-1389 6. Weiten, W., Lloyd, M.A, Dunn, D.S. and Hammer, E.Y (2008) Psychology Applied to Modern Life: Adjustment in the 21st Century, Ed.9, Cengage Learning, United States pp.288 7. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance (2009) U.S Divorce Rates for various faith groups, age groups, and geographic areas, Religious Tolerance, http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_dira.htm Read More