Divorce Research Paper Sociology

Kyla Clay
Sociology of the Family
Dr. Shannon Rios

The Effects of Divorce on Children

How children are affected by divorce is a huge question. Children whose parents get divorced generally don’t experience detrimental setbacks in the pre-divorce period, but often fall behind their peers—and don’t catch up—when it comes to math and interpersonal social skills after their parents begin the divorce process, according to a new study. In addition, the study, which appears in the June issue of the American Sociological Review, finds that children of divorce are more likely to struggle with anxiety, loneliness, low self-esteem, and sadness. This increase in “internalizing problem behaviors” also begins during the divorce process and does not dissipate. The statistics for divorce in the 1990 's suggest that nearly sixty percent of marriages end in divorce. Given this startling figure, the presumption can be made that many children will experience some affects caused by the life-changing event known as divorce.

What is it exactly about divorce that causes negative consequences for these children? In what ways will these children be effected? Will these effects show outwardly? The unsettling fact is: young children of divorced parents face great psychological challenges due to the environmental conditions and changes associated with divorce. Parental conflict appears to have a pronounced effect on the coping efforts of children. The intense anxiety and anger between some parents in the early stages of divorce is real. Often times parents allow their children to get in the middle of fierce verbal fighting between them. Berating the other parent in front of the child is another way of placing the child in an unfair position, which in essence is expecting the child to choose between the parents. Any form of parental conflict, no matter to what degree, lends to a difficult adjustment period for children involved. Most often children respond to the announcement of the divorce with apprehensiveness or anger , panic, or disbelief. Divorce has many negative effects on the psychological, and social aspects of a child’s life.

There are many psychological aspects of a child’s life that change when his or her parents go through a divorce. As previously mentioned by the writer, a child may not show initially how he or she feels about the divorce, but the true feelings of that child eventually surface. Joan B. Kelly, in an article for the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry says, “children incorporate repertoires of angry, impulsive, and violent behavior into their own behavior as a result of observing their parents’ responses to frustration and rage. This is something that many children that witness the divorce of their parents go through. The child naturally looks to his or her parent or parents for the example of how to handle certain situations and emotions. During a divorce there is much anger and aggression that is expressed by one or both parents of that child. This is not healthy for the child to witness for several reasons. One of the main reasons is that the child sees this example of aggression that his or her parents are setting, and he or she begins to react in the same manner. Anger and aggression tend to become the child’s tools for solving his or her problems. The child becomes like the parents and could cause harm to others because of not knowing or understanding how to control these feelings. He or she may often violently lash out at those around him or her that cause these feelings to occur.

This leads to the next psychological effect that divorce has on children. Depression is a major effect that divorce has on children. This is not necessarily something that occurs during the divorce, but has major effects on the later life of the child. High levels of marital conflict experienced during childhood have been linked to more depression and other psychological disorders in young adults. Most of the adolescents were overly depressed or may have even had conscious suicidal thoughts. While some showed increased acting out with self-destructive components, but without anxious depression. These are common psychological effects of divorce on children. Males and females have different emotional side effects and it is very hard to determine what type of effects divorce has on them because many studies have conflicting information, some say mates become more aggressive , but others show mates are not affected at all. Studies on females show they become depressed, and distracted . “Problems seen in children of divorce are due to the parents psychological problems” . Out of 60 divorced couples in counseling, one third had adequate mental health, ½ of men and almost ½ of females are moderately disturbed or are incapacitated by a disabling neurosis or addiction such as, chronic depression, suicidal tendencies and difficulty controlling rage. 15% of men and 20% of females have severe mental illnesses. Researches have shown that many children from these families have trouble in school and struggle with anger and sorrow .

The deterioration in parent-child relationships after divorce is another leading cause in psychological problems for children. With a divorce comes a parenting plan of some kind. Many divorces tend to effect children’s education because they are usually moved into a different district after parents are divorced, it is hard for children to adept to new environment and after divorce it is even more difficult to except change. Some children do not want eat, may have some problems sleeping, lose interest in their schoolwork and may not want to play; these children tend to mope around a lot. They also have a tendency to miss the things they used to do with their missing parent . In a study it was shown that males and females have different changes in behavior . A child may experience shared custody between both parents or custody by one parent with visitation by the other parent. Variations of these plans can be included or added at different times in the child 's life depending on special circumstances. More often than not, the mother is awarded custody of the children. The absence of the father on a full time level is detrimental to the healthy development of the children. In the case that the father is awarded custody of the children, the opposite applies as well. Although some studies show that divorce has no effect on children, it will inevitably have some sort of effect, it may not be long term, but it will leave some sort of effect which could be very devastating . Divorce has different effects on children of different ages. Preschoolers may become clingy, have an increase in tantrums, cry more easily, have regressive behavior,thumb sucking, baby talk, wet the bed more often showing anxiety, fear, or anger. While school-age children may have similar signs as preschoolers by showing anger, worry or sadness, acting as though they “don’t care”, having a tendency to deny divorce, believe they are the ones that caused a divorce, act extra good in hopes that the parents will get back together, become blaming and opposing towards one or both parents. Teenagers may show distress by “acting out” , running away, truancy, suspension, fighting, and trouble with the law, drug and alcohol abuse, and promiscuity. They have a tendency to become depressed, let remarks slip, change their eating or sleeping patterns, even develop suicidal tendencies, which are to be taken seriously. Parents should realize that being fully open and honest with them also children and parents that are honest with each other form a closer bond then children who are not honest with their parents . Honesty becomes very important in the teenage years with respect to parties, drinking and relationships, if a teen can’t trust their own parents who is she or he going to talk too? If they are allowed uncomplicated closeness to each parent and if they are allowed to speak about their pain and go through it, they will ease the pain and may even get over it.

Divorce is more common in younger couples especially within the first few years of marriage therefore young children are the victims , but in these cases the younger the child is the better as long as there isn’t a whole lot of trouble in later years, or bitterness. Because the child is so young once they grow up they won’t remember what it was like to have their parents living together. They are happier with their parents apart because that is all they have ever known. For those that came out of angry homes, also known as homes with parental conflict may feel at ease. Conflict can cause a lot of pain, fear, and sadness in children. The remembrance of it all can affect young adults well into their adulthood. So although divorce is a very tough subject there are also some beneficial aspects to divorce. Even though divorce can be painful in the beginning, it creates a much better environment in the end . It also helps parents make time for their children, because now that they can always see their child, they make the most of their experiences.

To conclude, divorce has many negative effects on the children that live through them. “Broken” homes are a tough situation to deal with, that children across the United States of America attempt to handle in very similar ways. Their reactions to the divorce itself are similar in many ways; it affects both the psychological and social aspects of their lives.

Works Cited

Kelly, Joan B. 2000 “Children 's Adjustment in Conflicted Marriage and Divorce: A Decade Review of Research.” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 39(8):963-973. Retrieved from AACAP on November 22, 2014.

Pickhardt, Carl. 2005. The Everything Parents Guide to Children and Divorce., Adams Media.

Behrnan, R.E. and Quinn, L. 1994. “Children and divorce: Overview and Analysis.” In Children and Divorce, 4(1). Packard Foundation.

Amato, P. 1994. “Life-span adjustment of children to their parents’ divorce.” In Children and Divorce, 4(1). Packard Foundation.

Cited: Kelly, Joan B. 2000 “Children 's Adjustment in Conflicted Marriage and Divorce: A Decade Review of Research.” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 39(8):963-973. Retrieved from AACAP on November 22, 2014. Pickhardt, Carl. 2005. The Everything Parents Guide to Children and Divorce., Adams Media. Behrnan, R.E. and Quinn, L. 1994. “Children and divorce: Overview and Analysis.” In Children and Divorce, 4(1). Packard Foundation. Amato, P. 1994. “Life-span adjustment of children to their parents’ divorce.” In Children and Divorce, 4(1). Packard Foundation.