Parental Divorce And Mental Health

Parental Divorce and Child Mental Health Parents play a vital role in a child’s life, often acting as role models for them. However, despite the positive impact that parents have, their children may also become vulnerable during, and victims to, situations that involve a disruption or breakup of family relationships, like a divorce. Such events have proven to have detrimental effects on their mental health and emotional wellbeing. In 2011, according to a general social survey on families in the last 20 years 5 million Canadians had separated or divorced, and of the 5 million, 38% of them had a child with them (Statistics Canada). With the rapid increase in divorce rates over the last two decades, children have been increasingly exposed

On the contrary, the opposite is true: divorce itself as an institution does have a significant impact on children regardless of prior conditions present in a household. A longitudinal study conducted by Lisa Strohschein explored the relationship of parental divorce and child mental health over a span of time. The study involved a sample of children aged 4-7 who were initially interviewed in 1994 having two biological parents (1286). The children were interviewed again in 1998 and the results were compared between children whose parents remained married versus who were divorced (1286). The results of the study showed that children whose parents were divorced, had much higher rates of mental health problems than those whose parents remained married (1297). The likelihood of mental health problems experienced by children in this situation can no longer be ignored or taken lightly; Strohschein explains: “divorce subsequently increases levels of child anxiety/ depression by 28%” (1293). This study signifies that despite children living in a dysfunctional household prior to a divorce and exhibiting some levels of stress and anxiety, the process of getting a divorce and the divorce itself exacerbates such mental health problems. Since children are in a developmental phase of their lives, an increase of anxiety and depression by 28% could be catastrophic. Compromised parenting can be a great influence on increasing the amount of mental health problems. Through the process of divorce the parent’s effort, time, and resources can be compromised affecting mental health (1287). As parents are going through a divorce, it is difficult as is for them accepting a destruction in a relationship that they were once committed to; however, when a child is involved their well being becomes an issue