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Effects of divorce on child development essay
The effect of divorce on children
Divorce and its effect on children
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The argument over how divorce affects children is one that has been going on for a very long time. Some people believe when parents get a divorce the children are not affected at all, while others believe when parents get a divorce the children are affected by the impact of divorce more than anyone in the family. In some cases, married couples can be in such a terrible marriage that divorce can in no way be avoided, and these divorces are usually the ones that children benefit from and are affected in a positive way. Many times though, a couple will choose to get a divorce because their marriage is not exactly the way it used to be, and they want that aspect of life back; these are the divorces that negatively affect children. Even though in some cases divorce does not affect children negatively, many times when parents obtain a divorce, the children are negatively harmed in many different ways that will forever change their lives. Research has proven there is a link between childhood depression and parents who are divorced. When children’s parents decide to get a divorce, it increases the risk of the children going through a deep depression period. There are several different reasons that have been linked to why children become depressed after their parents get a divorce. Parents and children usually become very distant after a divorce because they are both trying to overcome a hard time in their lives, so they keep to themselves instead of talking to each other. When children realize the distant that has come between them and their parents, they become upset, and that is what leads to the depressed state. Children are also trying to understand and deal with the new way of life they are living with only one parent in the househo... ... middle of paper ... ...Cited Lach, Jennifer. “The Consequences Of Divorce.” American Demographics 21.10 (1999): 14. MAS Ultra – School Edition.Web. 26 Feb. 2014. Mzarcovitz, Hal. “Chapter 3: Irreconcilable Differences.” Teens & Family Issues (2004): 9-14. Book Collection: Nonfiction: Web. 25 March 2014 Pasley, Kay. “The Long-Term Effects Of Divorce.” Stepfamilies 16.1 (1996): 11. MAS Ultra – School Edition.Web. 26 Feb. 2014. Richardson, Christina D. Rosen, Lee A. “School-Based Interventions For Children Of Divorce.” Professional School Counseling 3.1 (1999): 21. Vocational and Career Collection.Web. 26 Feb. 2014 Vousoura, EleniVerdeli, HelenWarner, VirginiaWickramaratne, PriyaBaily, Charles. “Parental Divorce, Familial Risk For Depression, And Psychopathology In Offspring: A Three-Generation Study.” Journal Of Child & Family Studies 21.5 (2012): 718.MasterFILE Premier.Web. 26 Feb. 2014.
South, S. J. & Spitze, G. (1986). Determinants of divorce over the marital life course. American Sociological Review, 51(4), 583-590.
The dissolution of a marriage, or ‘divorce’ as it is known, was once an infrequent occurrence and often considered the failure of a wife to maintain a happy marriage (Lewis, 2013). Following a change in legislation in the 1960s that allowed partners to end their marriage without having to provide justification, in conjunction with the sexual liberation movement, the incidence of divorce more than doubled (Wilcox, 2009). According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2012), the number of marriages ending in divorce has continued to rise, however, despite an increase in social acceptance, the negative impact divorce has on children has remained prevalent (Kelly & Emery, 2004). It is imperative for researchers to assess the repercussions of divorce in order to learn how to efficiently minimise the negative impact it has on those involved. Studies have shown that children of divorce often experience high levels of psychological distress due to the alteration of family dynamics, as well as the experience of loss, grief and the fear of abandonment (Kelly, 2000). Such powerful disruptions within a child’s microsystem can result in ongoing behavioural difficulties, as the child may have developed destructive schemas during the times of considerable stress (Kim, 2011). An increase in stress can be detrimental to the child’s social and academic performance, which could contribute to lifelong complications (Potter, 2010). Despite this, it is important to remember that whilst the process of divorce and its aftermath can create significant emotional disturbance for some, it also marks the dissolution of an unhealthy relationship, which can result in the cessation of exposure to negativity, such as arguments and fighting, for others (Strohs...
Divorce is becoming a worldwide phenomenon, significantly affecting children’s well-being. It radically changes their future, causing detrimental effects. According to (Julio Cáceres-Delpiano and Eugenio Giolito, 2008) nearly 50% of marriages end with divorce. 90% of children who lived in the USA in the 1960s stayed with their own biological parents, whereas today it makes up only 40% (Hetherington, E. Mavis, and Margaret Stanley-Hagan, 1999). Such an unfavorable problem has been increasing, because in 1969, the California State Legislature changed the divorce laws, where spouses could leave without providing cause (Child Study Center, 2001).
Wallerstein, J. S., & Lewis, J. M. (2004). The unexpected legacy of divorce: Report of a 25-year study. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 21(3), 353-370.
Zinsmeister, Karl. "Divorce's Toll on Children." American Enterprise. May/June 1996: 39-44. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 04 May. 2014.
Divorce is a very common word in today's society. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, "divorce is the legal dissolution of a marriage or a complete or radical severance of closely connected things"(Pickett, 2000). This dissolution of marriage has increased very rapidly in the past fifty years. In 1950 the ratio of divorce to marriage was one in every four; in 1977 that statistic became one in two. Currently one in every two first marriages results in divorce. In second marriages that figure is considerably higher, with a 67% average (National Vital Statistics Report, 2001). One critical aspect of divorce is often not taken into consideration: How it affects children. Every year 1.1 million children are affected by divorce (Benjamin, 2000). Children from divorce or separation often exhibit behavioral and long-term adjustment problems (Kelly, 2000). Throughout this paper I will discuss divorces effects on children at different age levels, how they react, and what can be done to help them.
Masci, David. "Children and Divorce." CQ Researcher 19 Jan. 2001: 25-40. CQ Researcher. Web. 15 Nov. 2013
Divorce is a process that many people in America go through. The divorce rate continues to escalate over the years. Divorce is a serious problem, it is a gradual process that ultimately results in families breaking up. There are various factors in which a marriage can fail and end up in divorce. Some skip the step of trying to reconcile things and make it work. In some cases it is easy for a divorce to take place. For instance, in cases where both parties are in agreement and have no children it is easier to handle a divorce. But in the cases where children are present, what happens to the kids? Both parents are at each others throats or one is devastated from the rejection, what role does the child play? It is a hard thing to cope with as an adult imagine as a little one or even a teenager, it affects them in more ways than anyone can imagine. It can affect them both physically and emotionally. The effects of divorce are immense, it permanently weakens the bond or relationship between a child and his parents. Can lead to them reaching out or looking to others for attention, causing poor attitudes, low self esteem, dropping grades, loss of virginity, use of drugs and or weapons, or in some cases mutilation of the body. There are various effects that children have to deal with that maybe extremely hard to cope with. One parent may say one thing yet the other disagrees and makes it impossible for the child to have a stable relationship with both of them. Children need both biological parents at their side to be guardians and counselors in their lives, to be examples of what they need to do to become outstanding citizens in our community.
Amato, P. R. (2000). The consequences of divorce for adults and children. Journal of Marriage and Family, 62(4), 1269-1287.
Shiono, P., & Quinn, L. S. (1994). Epidemiology of Divorce . Children and divorce, 4. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://futureofchildren.org/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=63&articleid=408§ionid=2781
Divorces have a different effect for every child depending on their age, however, despite their age difference many children fall into a depression quicker than children who don't experience their parents getting into a divorce. A cause of this is if the, “parents argue in front of their child, or vent their hurt or anger about the other parent to the child”
Amato, Paul R., and Jacob Cheadle. " The Long Reach of Divorce: Divorce and Child Well-Being across Three Generations. "
About half of marriages end in divorce. Divorce is a big change to people but have you ever thought how their children were affected by the divorce? Children are affected in many different ways, but having their parents divorce is by far one of the most stressful life experiences. Would their be more of a negative or positive affect on these children? There is a lot of proof on either side of this argument, but there is more proof of there being a negative effect on these children with divorced parents.
Divorce, in the legal sense, seems fairly simple. Emotionally, however, the toll that divorce takes on people involved can be very detrimental. This year, I sought to explore the thematic thread of the effects of children’s emotional development growing up with divorced parents. I chose this topic because I was thoroughly interested in the psychological effects of divorce on everyone involved, specifically the children of the parents separating. I believe that I came into this project with a unique outlook, growing up in a loving, two parent household.
The Impact of Divorce on Children Societal changes have led to an increased acceptance of divorce and consequently a higher number of divorces. It no longer carries the stigma of shame and failure it did fifty years ago and it is well known that it is commonplace among celebrities. But this increased tolerance of divorce among adults does not necessarily mean that the children of divorce are impacted any less. Research has shown that in general divorce impacts children negatively, although there are exceptions.