The Impact of Divorce on Children - Case Study Example

IMPACT OF DIVORCE ON CHILDREN Divorce is a diverse topic that is based on various views and opinions. Basedon the impact it has on children, most researchers agree that it has more negative implications than benefits. This essay focuses on the negative implications of divorce on the wellbeing of children under the age of 18. It is noted that coping mechanism of adults is better than that of children since adults can make sound judgment pertaining various issues that affect their lives. In most instances, children are more affected by broken families especially when they are deprived the life they were initially used to. The sudden absence of one parent has physical, emotional and psychological implications. The physical impact of divorce is mainly exhibited through stress that results in poor health. Other health problems are exhibited when children divert to use drugs as a way of dealing with stress. Emotional impact, on the other hand, affects aspects such as relationships and academics as well as self-esteem. Psychological impacts may take longer to be noticed but, they contribute to children feeling insecure and unwanted. All these factors are further triggered by other environmental factors that children find themselves in such as peer relationships. Parents have the responsibility of preparing their children psychologically in the event of divorce and ensuring the negative impacts of divorce are treated uniquely and dealt with in time. Impact of Divorce on Children Divorce is the legal termination of a marriage through redefining legal responsibilities that pertain to a marital union (Robb, n.d). The process is accompanied by other critical issues such as division of property, distribution of debts, child custody and child support among other issues. Different countries have different laws governing divorce although, in most countries, the process is sanctioned by a court of law (Robb, n.d). The impact of divorce varies from one individual to another due to the emotional and psychological effects involved (Robb, n.d). On children below the age of 18, the effects are much more devastating since, at that age, children are not in a position to make sound judgment. Divorce has a negative impact on the wellbeing of children. After divorce, children become emotionally broken and detached (Regnier-Loilier, 2013). In some cases, only one parent is left to take care of the children. In most circumstances the mother is usually given custody especially when the children are very young (Regnier-Loilier, 2013). This situation frustrates children especially if they were attached to their father. Being allowed to visit the children and cater for their responsibilities does not usually offer consolation. Studies indicate that continuous contact with parents long after the divorce has a positive effect on the cognitive, emotional and social development of children. Unfortunately, fathers usually lose contact with children hence affecting the children negatively (Regnier-Loilier, 2013). Emotional breakdown can lead to alcohol and drug abuse. This situation in most circumstances applies to teenagers. In the event of divorce, parents are usually preoccupied with other things that may divert their attention away from children. Since children may not manage stress, they may divert to substance abuse as a mechanism of dealing with their frustrations (Arkes, 2013). It may take a long time for a parent to discover what their child is going through. Within no time, this situation can become unmanageable and lead to abuse of hard drugs. Drug abuse can be life threatening if not treated (Arkes, 2013). Extreme cases of emotional breakdown lead to suicide. There is also the factor of parent-child conflicts. On the part of parents, divorce may have been the only solution to solving conflicts but this may not apply to children. There are circumstances when a child will blame a particular parent for contributing to the divorce (Regnier-Loilier, 2013). This scenario is experienced when for instance parents fight or argue in the presence of their children. Supposing the parent that the child blames is given custody, major conflicts will arise. In this case, children end up growing up in an environment where they do not feel wanted or appreciated. This feeling of rejection can lead to children developing a low self-esteem (Regnier-Loilier, 2013). Divorce also creates a sense of insecurity in a child due to lack of trust (Fagan & Churchill, 2012). Most children usually have the impression that the father is there to protect them from any danger. When custody is given to the mother and the child no longer sees the father, the child becomes insecure. Insecurity at home contributed to developing a sense of insecurity within the society (Fagan & Churchill, 2012). The child may grow up not trusting anyone and feeling threatened by everyone. Such character can affect future relationships as well as interaction with peers. Delinquent behavior among children is also generated through divorce. A child becomes rebellious as a mechanism of making up for what they lost. Some children may feel like they need special attention since they are victims of circumstances. When this attention is not granted, they become rebellious towards people. As the children grow into adolescence and late puberty, they become attached to people with similar behavior. Adverse effects of delinquent behavior can result in children engaging in crime and other antisocial activities (Arkes, 2013). Divorce affects academic performance. Stress will deprive a child of concentration on school work. Stress that the parent undergoes may also be an influencing factor (Regnier-Loilier, 2013). A parent who is undergoing stress will not focus on the child’s best interests. Moreover, financial constraints that arise after the divorce may force children to switch schools. Their new schools may not have similar educational standards as the previous ones. Divorce affects future decisions and perception of the child. Children from broken families tend to have a negative attitude and opinion about marriage as compared to children from stable families. A child from a broken family develops the perception that marriage is bad and unmanageable (Fagan & Churchill, 2012). Broken bonds within families will further give a child the impression that relationships do not last. Such a child will be unable to establish close ties with other people due to the perception that the relationship no matter how close it seems will eventually come to an end. Similarly, it leads to troubled future romantic relationships. This situation affects their relationship with others especially within the same age bracket. Divorce contributes to a child having weakened ability to face life’s challenges including handling conflicts. A child from a stable family sees parents sticking to the family even in the toughest of times unlike a child from a broken family. The tendency of a child losing a role model in the event of divorce is high because most children view their parents as role models. As these children grow up in a broken family, they divert to solving problems through uncouth methods such as violence other than proper confrontation of the problem (Jolivet, n.d). Divorce also affects a child’s social skills. Their level of confidence is affected especially when they are discriminated or judged on the basis of them coming from broken families. The fear of rejection that develops, as a result, leads to withdrawal making the child unable to participate in social activities. Such hinders the ability of the child to develop skills such as public speaking skills (Robb, n.d). The child also develops hostility especially towards adults who are perceived to have similar characteristics as parents (Robb, n.d). Behavioral problems are also exhibited as an impact of divorce. Marital conflicts pose a great risk to a child’s social competence. Although children from intact families may also have behavioral problems, those from broken families are more responsive to bad behavior (Regnier-Loilier, 2013). In some cases, the child may lack parental guidance as well as face extreme punishment that does more harm than good. In the long run, such children become irresponsible members of the society. As bad behavior advances, it becomes uncontrollable. Divorce further contributes to premature independence. Lack of attention and affection from the parent may cause the child to feel like they are responsible for themselves (Fagan & Churchill, 2012). In some occasions, the child might be forced to perform tasks in order to make up for the tasks that could have been performed by the absent parent. As children grow up under such a situation, they distance themselves from their families and develop an attitude of self-reliance. Harmony and cohesion within the family are threatened, as a result. Lack of parental control as a result of divorce affects children’s sexual attitudes. As they grow up, teenage girls tend to develop the attitude that having children outside wedlock is acceptable. This is because they do not attach any importance to marriage. They are also more likely to engage in risky premarital sexual activities, as a result (Jolivet, n.d). Boys, on the other hand, tend to have many sexual partners due to their lack of trust in the marriage institution. Such character can lead to the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases eventually affecting the health of a child (Jolivet, n.d). Financial struggles that come after the divorce also affect a child. It is through parents that children feel the economic impact of a divorce. In the situation where a family was highly dependent on the financial benefits of one parent, the likelihood of undergoing economic hardship is very high. Lower income would destabilize a child especially if they were used to materialism. The inability to acquire what they want when they want can hamper their future success (Fagan & Churchill, 2012). In most cases, when children are not able to get what they want from parents, they often tend to think that they are uncared for (Fagan & Churchill, 2012). Rebellious and abusive character commonly develops among children who have experienced divorce. The reason for divorce may be due to domestic violence that leads to verbal and physical violence. Since children tend to imitate the character of adults around them especially those they consider to be role models, they are likely to become abusive. It is the reason as to why some children find pleasure in bullying their peers (Jolivet, n.d). Abusive character develops into adulthood and often goes hand in hand with criminal tendencies (Jolivet, n.d). Finally, divorce leads to communication breakdown (Halla, 2013). Without proper communication, children are unable to express themselves and bring forth their grievances. Even when going through problems that may affect their future well being, they are deprived the chance to communicate their feelings. Communication is very vital during the development of a child especially during adolescence (Halla, 2013). Sometimes, it may seem like some children are too young to comprehend break up. This is not the case. Children under the age of five are open to emotional conflicts after divorce (Jolivet, n.d). Due to this, they become clingy to their parents so as to feel secure and get attention. As compared to all other age groups of children, teenagers are more affected by divorce (Jolivet, n.d). The bad thing is that at this age, the impact of divorce is more likely to determine adult behavior. The impact of divorce on children varies due to environment factors and how differently children react to different circumstances. Some children may experience mild effects while to some children; the effect can be severe. Severity can be short-term or long-term. The way a child will be affected is unpredictable and largely dependable on the parents. In the event of a divorce, parents should prepare their children psychologically to reduce the impact. References Arkes, J. (2013). The Temporal Effects of Parental Divorce on Youth Substance Use. Parental Divorce and Substance Misuse, 48, 290-297. Fagan, P., & Churchill, A. (2012). The Effects of Divorce on Children. Washington, D.C: Marriage and Religion Research Institute. Retrieved from http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF12A22.pdf. Halla, M. (2013). The Effect of Joint Custody on Family Outcomes. Journal of the European Economic Association, 11, 278–315. Jolivet, K. R. (n.d.). The Psychological Impact of Divorce on Children: What is a Family Lawyer to Do? American Journal of Family Law, 175-183. Regnier-Loilier, A. (2013). When Fathers Lose Touch With Their Children After Divorce. Population and Societies, 500, 1-4. Robb, A. (n.d.). Zero to Three: Parenting Issues and Parenting Plans for Young Children. American Journal of Family Law, 15-22. Read More