Divorce

10. South Korea/Lithuania

These two countries tied on the 10th spot with 3.05% divorce rate. In fact, based on the recent report in South Korea, it actually increased since 2010 wherein majority of the divorced are over 40 years old and 57% of them are women. Some believe that the major cause of the steep uproar in the divorce rate begun in 1997 when the economic crash happened. Hence, Lithuania greatly improved compared with their all-time high divorce rate in 2004. 9. Czech Republic

It has recorded 3.11 % divorce rate, which is attributed to the wide portion of immigrants and ethnic groups, which composed of Germans, Hungarians, Poles, and Romans. In fact, it is considered as one of the highest rates of divorce recorded in Europe. According to reports, about 2/3 of women filed the divorce or dissolution of marriage against their husbands. There is actually concern about family orientation in the country because of the children’s exposure of their parent’s separation. 8. Cuba

It is scary to see the vision about the divorce rate in Cuba but it is expected that about 70% of marriages being solemnized in this country would end up in dissolution. As of the moment, there is 3.16% recorded divorce rate. It happens because a large percentage of marriages being held or done were fraud, which is done just for the sake of financial gain and exit Visas. Other reasons are language barriers due to the number of cultures established, which is different in a regular or normal country. 7. Moldova

It got 3.50% divorce rate for this year. Based on the given conditions of the country and pattern of parental responsibilities, women do not only work, but also, they have to do their household obligations when they get home, which is typical in Asia. This is one of the causes of separation and it also includes lack of privacy and political concerns in the country. 6. Belarus

The consistent rank of Belarus in this list will not stop due to belief and values inculcated to the people after the USSR divorce has been manifested wherein people followed it along with Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine. You should not wonder why these four countries are included in this list. Some of the analysts have seen that they no longer see the sanctity of marriage and family life. It has recorded 3.77% divorce rate for this year. Economic problems are one of the concerns since most of the families have low number of children due to financial situations. 5. Ukraine

Ukraine got the fifth spot, which is expected, due to a 3.79% divorce rate. Same primary reasons with Belarus is consistent on this list is the USSR influence of divorce and the economic conditions. Most of the families or homes have no children. It is intended and planned by most of the couples because of the unstable economic condition wherein they have to exclude their priorities of having children. 4. Panama

It has 3.80% divorce rate for this year. Once, it was known as the divorce capital of the world. According to reports, the major cause of dissolution of marriages in this country is cheating. Adultery is a prevalent reason and it does not matter if it is an early marriage or more than a decade marriage relationships. In fact, it is like a common past time of some couples, which becomes a normal activity in cheating with their spouses. The reasons are racial boundaries and socio-economic status. 3. USA

Some would expect that USA got the highest percentage of divorce but being on the third rank is already a warning since it got 4.19 % ratio wherein according to consolidated data that most of the divorce that took place were non-Christians for about 34% while Christians is 33%. 2. Aruba

It got 5.27% this year and in fact, it includes same sex marriages. There are assumptions that it happens because happiness in marriage is not attained. When things do not work for them, they would just end up finishing it. 1. Russia

It has a high-time record of 5.30% because most of the complaints and cases filed are due of the behavior of men from Russia in general. Some of these are being abusive to wives, unfaithful, and leaving the paternal responsibility to women. Yes, you are reading it right, women in Russia works for their family and not men in general. This is the reason why most Russian women prefer to have relationships with foreign men and why most of them are exposed in online dating and others.
The Negative Effects of Divorce on Children
JaynaSolinger
"So many persons think divorce a panacea for every ill, find out, when they try it, that the remedy is worse than the disease" (Qtd in Harper 192). Divorce, in any circumstance, rips a child apart, tossing him/her from one house to another, limiting time spent with his/her parents, and confusing him/her. There are very few reasons that would prove to be more beneficial for the parent to leave than to stay and endure his/her marriage. Usually it is more advantageous to children if their parents work through their differences rather than get a divorce.
By any definition, divorce is a horrible word. There is no way to make the word sound better or make its effects less painful. According to the Webster’s Dictionary, divorce is "the legal dissolution of marriage or the termination of an existing relationship or union" (Webster’s 370). This definition makes the word seem formal and does not accurately display the feeling that sweeps over a person when the word is mentioned. A better definition of the depth of the word comes from Whitney, holding a child’s point of view, "Divorce is like a thousand knives being thrown at one’s heart or a slow, painful ride through Horror Mountain" (Through 1). Her definition more accurately describes the feelings and emotions that go along with the mention of divorce. Most children would agree with Whitney’s summary of divorce. To them, divorce is much more than a legal dissolution; it is their whole world being torn apart and thrown on the ground in pieces.
One of the biggest problems that divorce imposes on children is the decision of whom to live with. Usually parents divorce when children are small and the children have no say in where they go. Since the child cannot choose, this leads to custody battles that end in split custody or joint custody. Whatever the choice may be between the two types of custody, either will prove detrimental to the child.
When split custody is the decision, it forces a child to choose (or the court to choose) one parent to live with, and it limits the quality time the child spends with either parent. When the child only lives with one parent, the ties with the other parent are severely damaged. According to the National Survey of Children, close to half of all children with divorced parents had not seen their nonresidential parent in the past year, and only one in six had weekly contact or better (Whitehead 2). Since the children don’t see both parents often, the parent with whom the child lives is usually thought upon as strict and no fun because that parent is always there and is always responsible for disciplining the child. The nonresidential parent is more often viewed as the fun, exciting one that the child longs to be with. This parent many times showers his/her child with presents, and money is used in an attempt to buy the child’s love. The child, although often spoiled, does not usually feel the deep security of having a close family, since he/she is constantly moving from house to house. Because of the constant movement, the child does not generally receive quality time from either parent, and it makes it more difficult to feel loved.
Joint custody, on the other hand, proves to be even less successful (Zinmeister 29). This type of custody is now allowed in half of the states, although, joint custody is very unusual because of the extreme complications. In California, where divorce is more common than anywhere else, only eighteen percent of divorced couples have joint custody. Even when the divorced parents maintain regular contact with their children, truly cooperative child rearing is rare (Zinmeister 29). Most often, research shows, the estranged parents have no communication or mutual reinforcement; this leads to very unhealthy parent-child relationships. Joint custody is even worse on a child because there is even more movement involved. With split custody, the child goes to the nonresidential parent’s house on a certain schedule. In joint custody, however, the child is constantly moves back and forth between houses, causing an even greater lack of quality time between parent and child.
The custody battle can be damaging, but the divorce of a child’s parents can also thoroughly confuse the child, suggesting that it is better for parents to stay together. The child does not have a concept as to what commitment really means. Since these children see their parents breaking vows without a second thought, they begin to believe that what is right for a parent must be the right thing for them to do as well. Children are shown that they do not have to work out their problems as long as they can run away. This is one reason that so often today when someone makes a promise there is really no certainty of whether it will happen or not. According toThe Effects of Divorce on Children, an article written by J. Lynn Rhodes, young adults whose parents have divorced previously are likely to have social problems and trouble forming and maintaining intimate relationships (Effects 1). The value of a person’s word has lessened. This is partly because of the bad examples parents are setting for their children when they get a divorce.
Generally, it is better for children to suffer a bad marriage than to cope with divorce. According to University of Michigan psychologist and divorce expert Neil Kalter, the misery of an unhappy marriage is less significant than the changes after a divorce. The children would rather their parents keep fighting and not get divorced (Marriage 64). Although this does not seem logical, it shows that children want their parents together at all costs. Also, contrary to popular belief, the alternative to most divorces is not life in a war zone (Zinmeister 30). In the vast number of divorces there is no strife or violence that could ruin a person’s childhood; the divorce is usually driven by a quest for "greener grass." These divorces almost always make the child worse off and create a number of unnecessary problems for the child. If parents would concentrate harder on working conflicts out rather than their own personal happiness, the children would be much better off.
Divorce, however, is not always a terrible thing. In a few given situations it proves to be for the best. The two situations that may prove beneficial for a person to get a divorce are abusive relationships and infidelity. When one parent is abusive, whether verbal, physical, or sexual, to the children, it is more beneficial to the child if the parent leaves (Huffman 4). Also, if one spouse is beating the other, the marriage should be ended. If a child watches his/her parent get beaten his entire life, he/she could think that it is fine to act this way or severely resent the parent for staying. Also, when a spouse is committing infidelity, divorce is most certainly an option. When one spouse is confronted with the affairs and still will not quit having them, the Bible gives the option of divorce. In Matthew 19:8-9 it says, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery" (Huffman 9). Even under these grounds, Jesus permitted divorce, but he did not encourage or command divorce.
It generally proves to be more beneficial for a child if his/her parents stay in an imperfect marriage rather than getting a divorce. The various activities that are involved with a divorce severely damage a child. The child lacks a sense of belonging and becomes very confused. Therefore, when a person gets married, he/she needs to think long and hard to make sure that this is the right choice for him/her and for possible children that may come along one day. The person needs to make sure he/she does not settle for the person he/she can live with; he/she needs to wait for the person that he/she cannot live without. As Jesus says in Mark 10:5-9:
It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law. But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one. Therefore what God hath joined together, let no man put asunder (Huffman 1).
The negative effects of divorce
Last updated: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 12:45 AM

Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi DIVORCE is separation of a husband and wife after the legal breakup of their marital union. In other words, it is legal termination of a marriage contract between a man and a woman. It has a negative impact on both parties, and the impact is usually much stronger on the woman than on the man. But the children of the separated couple are the most affected, because they are the weaker parties and are the most in need of the marriage contract remaining intact.

Divorce is legal in all countries in the world with the exception of the Vatican and the Philippines. However, it exists among the Muslim minorities in the Philippines. Laws regulating divorce vary considerably from one country to another, but in most countries, divorce is regulated through courts as it involves the rights and obligations of both parties, such as alimony, custody and support of children, distribution of property, division of debt and the like. Both parties have the right to seek a second marriage in those countries where polygamy is not allowed. A divorcee is allowed to get married again in those countries where polygamy is permitted.

In Islam, it is the man who is given the right to initiate the divorce process by pronouncing the talaq. In the early period of Islam, divorce was an open and unrestricted affair, and a man could pronounce divorce or cancel it whenever he wished. This was the situation until the revelation of the following Qur’anic verse: “Divorce is twice; then either to retain in the recognized manner or to release in fairness. And it is not lawful for you to take back anything from what you have given them, unless both apprehend that they would not be able to maintain the limits set by Allah.

Now, if you apprehend that they would not maintain the limits set by Allah, then, there is no sin on them in what she gives up to secure her release.

These are the limits set by Allah. Therefore, do not exceed them. And whosoever exceeds limits set by Allah, then, those are the transgressors” (Surah Al-Baqarah -229).

The reason for the revelation of this verse was explained in a Hadith narrated by Al-Tirmidhi after quoting Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him). According to the Hadith, there was a time when men used to pronounce the divorce of their wives at their own free will. Some men used to pronounce divorce and then take the woman back while she was in her iddah or waiting period. This happened even after a man pronounced divorce several times.

After the revelation of the above verse, pronouncing divorce was fixed at two times after which the man can take the woman back as long as she is in iddah, i.e. three menstrual periods or three periods of purity after menses. During this period, she has to stay in the marital home and that gives the man an opportunity to re-think with regard to taking her back because in Islam divorce is “the most hated of the halal (permissible things) to Allah.” At the end of the iddah, there comes the minor separation between the couples under which it is permissible for the man to approach the woman only after entering into a new marriage contract and the payment of dowry. If he pronounces the third divorce, then comes the major separation under which the divorce is irrevocable and the man cannot marry the woman again unless she gets married to another man who later divorces her. The woman’s marriage with the second man should be a valid one and there should not be any hidden plan or intention to terminate the contract so as to facilitate a second marriage with the woman’s former husband. If the second husband divorces the woman, she has the right to marry the first husband as if it were a marriage for the first time.

Although Islam allows a man to initiate the divorce process, it does not mean that he can arbitrarily misuse it. In order to avoid such a misuse, laws and regulations must be enacted to prevent men from taking reckless and impulsive decisions to divorce. It is also necessary that divorce be made in front of a judge in a court and this should be done only after making every effort to keep the institution of the family intact so as to preserve the rights of the wife, and, in particular, the children because they are the weakest party who are most often subjected to ill-treatment by the stepmother if they join their father or by the stepfather if they join their mother after the couple’s separation.

It would be better if the government took the initiative to conduct marriage ceremonies in accordance with the laws enacted for the same under which marriage would be conducted in the presence of a licensed marriage official in line with a marriage contract prepared by the official, duly endorsed by a judge with a seal from the court.

The process of divorce should also be done in the same way, and pronouncing divorce out of court must be made a punishable offense so as to preserve the family and protect the rights of children. This is essential to reduce the number of divorce cases that are rampant in Arab countries in general, and in the Gulf states in particular, especially in the Kingdom.

It seems that when any dispute erupts between couples, the woman rushes to seek divorce and the man pronounces it without thinking about the consequences as well as about the tragedy and hardship that will ensue for everyone concerned.

One of my friends, who is a university professor and a learned man, told me about a relevant incident. When he wanted to hold marriage party after his son’s engagement, he invited all the family members and relatives of the couple to a meeting. Then, he said to them: “I invited you to have an agreement on the terms of the divorce before we agree on the terms of the marriage so that things will be clear to each party and they will know their rights and duties in order to avoid problems and disagreements in future.” Although it surprised everyone, they accepted the idea after he explained to them its benefits in the long run.

Finally, it is time to legalize divorce and to require that it be done in court after making every effort to avoid it in order to preserve the institution of the family and society as a whole.

While divorce at any age comes with potentially negative effects, according to new research from Michigan State University, divorce at a younger age can hurt people’s health more than divorce that occurs later in life.
In fact—given that younger couples are also more likely to have children living at home—the negative impact of divorce within this age cohort can go far beyond the health of the couple. Decades of research provide evidence that children living with both parents fare better in virtually every aspect of well-being.
As research on Heritage’s FamilyFacts.org illustrates, adolescents who do not live in intact families are more likely to engage in substance abuse, exhibit behavioral problems, have pooracademic performance, and engage in risky behavior, including becoming sexually active at an early age.
In addition, children who do not live with both parents are more likely to experiencepsychological and emotional problems ranging from low levels of social competence and self-esteem to anxiety and depression.
Moreover, the effects of divorce can have a ripple effect in the next generation, given that children tend to follow the marital trajectory of their parents. Children who have experienced parental divorce tend to experience more problematic and less rewarding marriages and are more likely to divorce. In fact, even the divorce of grandparents has been linked to a greater likelihood of third-generation divorce.
Conversely, the positive effects of marriages that stay intact can extend for generations to come. A combination of policy reforms and public education to promote strong and stable marriages can go far to prevent the ricocheting damage of marital dissolution.

Children Negative Effects of Divorce
Much has been published on Children Negative Effects of Divorce. Fortunately, most children of divorce do not experience long lasting negative effects.
Divorce increases children's risk for a variety of problems. Experts are still unable to accurately predict which children are most vulnerable. Some things to consider: * Intelligent, socially mature, and responsible children are more likely to adapt well to their parents' divorce. * Children with a sense of humor and get along easily with others are likely to get more support from other adults around them. * Children who are difficult to manage and have negative attitudes to their parents and caregivers are likely to have more difficulties: others are less willing to offer them support.
Here is the “Children Negative Effects of Divorce” list, as reported by many researchers, therapists and other experts:
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Emotional Pain and Suffering
A divorce hurts all the family members, including the children. Very young children do not understand what is happening, but the feel the loss of one of the parents not being around.
Pain however, is something that goes away. The memories stay, but memories are not always on your mind. They only pop up when you think about it. Some people cannot let go negative feelings and emotions and keep them alive. By doing so, they keep on feeling mistreated, misguided and pityful. These feelings prevent them from focussing on positive things and on a new future. Usually, if they become aware of the vicious circle they are in, or when somebody else makes it clear to them, the suffering stops.
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Contain the Negative Effects of Divorce on Children
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Feeling Insecure
A divorce is a life changing event for children. It turns their world upside down. They do not understand the divorce very well. All they know is that everything will be different. They have many questions: where do I go to school? Where will I live? Will I be able to see my friends? Will the other parent still be around? Did I contribute to the divorce? Will I live with my brothers and sisters in the future or will they live with the other parent? My daddy has a new girl friend, but I do not like her.
It is not difficult to take away most of their insecurities. Present a clear picture to your children of their future. Do it proper but quickly. You really help your children if you talk about their feelings and if you take away their insecurities. “Children Negative Effects of Divorce” tip: co-operate with your ex and find good answers and solutions and communicate them clearly to your children.
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Anxious
If the insecurities stay there, a child might become anxious which can become an anxiety disorder. This is an extreme consequence, of course. A “Children Negative Effects of Divorce” tip:The Anxiety-Free Child Program teaches your children how they can get rid of their anxiety.
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Lower self-esteem
Parents, the parential home, the unconditional love between the parents is something children belief in. Your break-up does damage the self confidence of your children. Especially children between 5 and 10 years old are vulnerable. They often think they caused the divorce by behaving not as expected.
In the beginning, many children think the worlds ends when their parents announce the divorce.
Children also wonder what their friends think of it Will my class mates see me as a looser because of the divorce?
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Agressive, angry
Some children become aggressive or angry after the divorce. Usually, this behavior goes away after a few weeks or month. If it is not the case, you should take action. Learn how to change the attitude and the behavior of your child from one or more books or guides on the subject (For example, “Children Negative Effects of Divorce” suggests you to read the book: Child Anger Management for Parents) or seek help from a professional counselor or therapist.
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Depression
An individual is depressed if very negative feelings stay permanently on top of one’s mind. Depression is a serious mental illness for which professional help and sometimes medication is needed to get rid of it.
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Poorer social skills
There is a correlation found between children of divorce and social skills. Experts suggest children of divorce have more difficulties trusting other people unconditionally. They tend to have less social contacts. Especially young children tend to cut social relationships after the divorce. Later in life, this can result in having difficulties building intimate relationships.
“Children Negative Effects of Divorce” suggestion: Stimulate your child to participate in all kinds of events to stay socially involved
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Higher divorce rates for Children of Divorce
For children of divorce the probability to divorce is twice as high as for children from normal families.
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Learning Problems
Children from divorced families are more likely to have academic problems, be more aggressive and get in trouble with school authorities or the police.
When elaborating on children negative effects of divorce on academic achievement we need to look at children's grades, standardized test scores, or dropout rates. Children whose parents divorce generally have poorer scores. These results have been found quite consistently throughout a variety of research studies over the past three decades.
Children's actual performance on tests consistently shows this difference, but results based on teacher or parent reports are less likely to show this difference as both parents and teachers often underestimate the difficulties a child may be having in school or may not recognize the problems.
In some cases, it appears that children's difficulties with school may be caused more by their behavior than their intellectual abilities.
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Negative effects of divorce and academic achievments in gender difference.
Boys are more likely to be aggressive and have problems getting along with their peers and teachers, therefore spending less time in school or on their schoolwork.
Girls are more likely to experience depression, interfering with their ability to concentrate on schoolwork or to put as much effort into their work.
School success has long-term implications for children's success in life. It is important to find ways to support children from divorced families.
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Common reactions teachers or caregivers see in children experiencing divorce. * Young children are more likely to show regressive behaviors such as thumb sucking, increased whining, difficulty making transitions, and increased need to be with a teacher or other caregiver. * Older children are more likely to be disobedient, to talk back, and to be destructive. * All children are likely to have some new fears about where their parents are or if they will see parents again. * There also may be significant declines in school performance, tardiness, absences, and difficulties getting along with peers.
Few children will show all of these signs, but almost all children will show some of these symptoms, especially when there are significant events at home such as a parent moving out, an appearance in court, and general disruptions in the usual home routine.
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Children Divorce Statistics
For more on children negative effects of divorce, see Children Divorce Statistics
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Positive factors
Some divorce factors contribute to a reduction of divorces and to a reduction of the negative effects of divorce on children.
The Devastating Effects of Divorce
BY WAYNE JACKSON
Through the prophet Malachi, Jehovah God said to ancient Israel: “I hate divorce” (2:16,NASB). The Lord hates divorce because he loves people and divorce is devastating to humankind.
Man did not live one day upon this earth apart from the environment of a home. In fact, the very foundation of society is the home. Marriage is that divine union between a man and a woman who love one another, and who have welded their lives together “so long as they both shall live.” It is the cement that holds society together.
Moreover, it is this very societal cohesiveness that facilitates the spread of the redemptive gospel of Jesus Christ. When the family structure disintegrates, a significant factor in the growth of Christian faith is missing, and the gospel of God is hindered. Those who encourage capricious, unauthorized divorce undermine the cause for which the Savior died.
Divorce, generally speaking, is a tremendous evil. In fact, it is so bad that Jesus Christ allows it (together with a subsequent remarriage) on one basis only—that of fornication (Matthew 5:32; 19:9). Subsequent unions following divorce—for all parties other than the innocent victim of a marriage breached by fornication—constitute adulterous relationships.
The divorce problem has reached alarming proportions. In 1970 there were 4.3 million divorced people in America. By 1994 that number had more than quadrupled to a staggering 17.4 million. According to the Journal of Marriage and the Family, the fairly recent phenomenon of “no-fault” divorce has significantly accelerated the plague of American divorce. The United States now leads the world in marriage break-ups.
In a recently published book, Why Marriage Matters: Reasons to Believe in Marriage in Post-Modern Society, author Glenn T. Stanton has compiled a massive amount of evidence which reveals the shocking effect that divorce is having in this country.
This book is a survey of the most authoritative social science research published over the course of the last century. It demonstrates how first-time, life-long, monogamous marriage significantly improves the lives of adults, their children and the nation at large.
Consider some of the following factors: * Alcoholism is much more likely to be a problem among those who have been divorced than those who have not. Those divorced only once have almost twice the rate of alcoholism as those who have never been divorced. Folks divorced more than once are almost three times as likely to have drinking problems. * The suicide rate is almost three times higher among the divorced than among life-long spouses. * The National Institute of Mental Health advises that the divorced are about four times as likely to have problems with depression as are the never-divorced. * Studies have shown that the prevalence of suffering from any psychiatric disorder over a lifetime was significantly lower for those in stable marriages. * Statistical data have revealed that children of divorced parents are much more likely to drop out of school than children from one-time-married couples. * Children from broken homes are much more likely to have a difficult time obtaining and maintaining steady employment. * The children of divorced parents are more likely to become “teen parents,” producing out-of-wedlock babies, than the children of life-long married parents. * The offspring of divorced parents are twenty to thirty percent more likely to have health problems, or to be injury-prone than youngsters whose original parents are still together. * The children of divorced parents are three times more likely to have emotional or behavioral problems than they will have if their biological parents stay together.

The evidence is all too clear. The Creator knew what he was doing when he gave strict regulations for the preservation of the original family. In view of this, Christian parents will make every effort possible to keep their marriages intact. Moreover, they will instruct their children in the concept of the permanency of marriage as designed by God.
New study confirms negative impact of divorce on children
Author: Admin
Date: 10th June 2011
Young children whose parents get divorced are not only more likely to suffer from anxiety, loneliness, low self-esteem and sadness, they experience long-lasting setbacks in interpersonal skills and math test scores, according to new US research.

Importantly, the study says that most of the negative effects take place after the divorce instead of during the potentially disruptive period before their parents divorce.

"Somewhat surprisingly, children of divorce do not experience detrimental setbacks in the pre-divorce period," noted study author Hyun Sik Kim, a doctoral candidate in the department of sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "From the divorce stage onward, however, children of divorce lag behind in math test scores and interpersonal social skills."

"Children of divorce also show enhanced risk of internalising problem behaviors characterised by anxiety, loneliness, low self-esteem and sadness," Kim said.

While the negative impacts do not continue to worsen several years after the divorce, "there is no sign that children of divorce catch up with their counterparts, either," he added.

The five-year study compared emotional and academic development of children of divorce with those whose parents stayed together, by following 3,585 children from around the age of four.

Ms Kim added: ‘Children of divorce experience setbacks in maths test scores and show problems with interpersonal skills and internalisingbehaviour. They are more prone to feelings of anxiety, loneliness, low self-esteem and sadness.’

This stabilised after the divorce, he said, ‘but the children remain behind their peers from intact families’.

The study is published in the June issue of the American Sociological Review.

In the study, Kim discussed how the fallout from divorce might harm childhood development.

Children may be stressed by an ongoing parental blame game or child custody conflicts. This stress could be compounded by the loss of stability when a child is shuttled between separate households or has to move to another region altogether, thus losing contact with his or her original network of friends.

In fact, Kim observed a dramatic change in family locations, suggesting that children of divorce were more likely to change schools.

Parents' divorce-related depression might also play a role, as could economic strains when family income suddenly drops, he said.

In his research, Kim analysed data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study on 3,600 children who entered kindergarten in 2008.

The children were tracked through fifth grade. Over that time, Kim compared children whose parents had gotten divorced while the child was in the first, second or third grade with the children of intact marriages.

Among the divorce group, Kim examined child development over three phases: the "pre-divorce" period from kindergarten to the 1st grade; the "divorce period" from 1st through 3rd grade; and the "post-divorce" period from 3rd through 5th grade.

Kim found that while a divorce is in progress, first, second and third-graders experience a dip in math test scores — a decline that holds steady once the divorce is final. Interpersonal skills also suffer during divorce, affecting a child's ability to make and keep friends, and the ability to express feelings and opinions in a positive way.

On a positive note, however, Kim found that reading scores remain unaffected, and that children do not seem to be at a higher risk for "externalising" problem behavior such as arguing, fighting or getting angry.

He also noted some limitations of the study, including that the children were followed after divorce for only two years.

"One implication of the study is that we need to intervene as soon as possible when we observe a child experiencing a parental divorce," Kim said, "because my findings suggest that once children of divorce (have gone) through detrimental impacts, it is hard to make them catch up with children from intact families."

Richard E. Lucas, an associate professor in the department of psychology at Michigan State University, said that longer-term research would be needed to see whether or not the apparent setbacks in children's maths and social skills eventually dissipate.

"We definitely find that the major life events, such as divorce, can have a significant effect on an individual's well-being," he said. "So it's not surprising that we see a timely reaction among these children."

"But while some events have really long-lasting effects that actually seem to be permanent, others may persist for a few years but eventually return back to the baseline level (that was present) before the event occurred," he added. "In this case, a much longer-term study would be called for to see if this particular dynamic unfolds in that way or not."
Proposition
* Does it guarantee that divorced * Does divorce makes life easier for the affected family? * Does divorce solve the problems of married couples?