The Effects of Divorce on Children
Divorce, once considered deviant has become the social norm of modern society. Also, secularization, the declining influence of religion on society has reinforced the acceptance of divorce (Cook, 2011). This contributes to the rise in the divorce rates. Forty to Fifty percent of marriages end in divorce (E. Kazdin Ph.D., 2000) and sixty percent of second marriages will end in divorce (Dr. William, 2013). Divorce is easier to get because of secularization has led to marriage becoming less important and sacred. (Cook, 2011) Changes of the laws allow anyone to file for divorce if they can afford the annulment process. Divorce is the resolution for failed marriages caused by different things such as lack of interest,
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If a decision is made to marry, there is a thirty- nine percent likelihood their spouse is also a child of divorce (Wolfinger, 2003). However marital instability is passed down to the next generation. Compared to children of intact families, children of divorce are thirty-eight percent more likely of divorce (Teachman, 2002). Children of divorce has only been exposed to lower marital quality. Judith Wallerstein discovered in her study that children of divorced parents still held onto their persistent anxiety about their opportunities of happy marriage even decades beyond their parents' divorce. Some unsuccessfully formed satisfying romantic ties, while others rushed impulsively into unhappy marriage (Wallerstein, Blakelee, …show more content…
Twenty –two percent of children of divorce were in poor health compared to their peers in intact families (NCHS/CDC, 2012). The children of divorced families are prone to injuries, Asthma, and cancer. In addition to normal injuries sustained from actively playing they also acquire injuries from physical abuse. In correlation to children of intact families, children of divorce are two times more likely to be abused and neglected. Children that live in a female –headed home is fourteen times more likely to be physically beaten or murdered (Fagan, 1997). Also, researchers Kari Hemminki and Bowang Chen states "The results show that offspring of divorced parents have increased cancer risk at tobacco- related, alcohol- related and sex- related sites (Romelsjo, Kaplan, Cohen, Allebeek,1992). For example, cancer was contracted in the upper aerodigestive tract, anus, cervix, esophagus, lungs and pancreas. The long-term health effects of children of divorce are traumatic. Children that experience parental died almost five years earlier on average than children from intact families (Friedman,
However, even the parents themselves do not seems to take into consideration the devastation that can impact their children. Some researchers argue that people do not terminate their marriages for reasons of escaping a disruptive relationship or abuse but only for a quest for personal growth, (Amato, Sep. 2001), then the issue should be the concern for the well being of the child and what that separation and subsequent divorce would affect the children. That same research also included a longitudinal study and incorporated evidence that indicated that a majority of recent divorces were not preceded by an extended period of
Divorce is one of many controversial subjects in family and human development research. What inspired me to critically analyze the article “Does Divorce Create Long-Term Negative Effects for Children?” is the challenge it would be for me to put my bias aside considering I am from a divorced home. After reading the article and analyzing it over and over, I can’t help but think that the writer answering “YES” to this controversial question overlooked many variables and over generalized his findings and research. With Zinsmeister overgeneralizing his research, not considering enough alternate explanations for long-term negative effects divorce, and his lack of relevant information needed to assess reliability and validity are why I find this article to be insightful but not accurate and hope to show why.
This paper discusses the correlation of children with divorced parents and their ability or inability to have intimate relationships in their futures. In most cases, it depends on the age of the child at the time of the divorce. Studies showed that marital problems, including but not limited to divorce, was associated with negative social, emotional, and physical affects in the children’s lives. Most articles included have different types of specific details, but all generally have the same outcome, being that children with divorced parents love differently than those that have parents happily married. Similar studies surveyed college students and discovered that children with fathers, who divorced and remarried, did not have a close relationship, which made these children more likely to avoid relationships. This literature review discusses the impact that divorce has on children who have or do not have relationships because of what happened to their parents’ relationships.
Divorce has many victims; they do not fall under a specific category and do not target a specific gender, age, race, or ethnicity. The effect of divorce on children differs from the effect on the spouses. The reasons for divorce are endless; they have many side effects on the spouses but most importantly affect the children. Divorce is one of the main reasons for disruption in our communities. Regardless of the reason, divorce always harms the children’s decisions, personalities, and futures.
For couples with children divorce can wreak havoc on family relations. The behavior of children can change rapidly, in Cherlin (1993) it has been stated that, “children whose parents separated or divorced displayed more behavior problems and performed more poorly in school than children whose parents remained married” (para. 3). It is important to note that each child is affected differently and relationships with parents will not always be bitter (Cherlin, 1993). The personal source is a friend of many years whose parents divorced when she was very young. Her brother was also very young at the time of the divorce; each of them as male and female reacted differently to the divorce, just as it has been seen in many studies (Alex Pringle, Personal Communication, May 10,
Anyone going through a divorce can have a stressful toll no one can want or afford to get. Over time divorce has drastically changing over the years. Divorce was relatively uncommon and difficult to get before 1970 (Why have divorce rates increase over time?). In the United States researchers estimate that 40%-50% of all first marriages will end in divorce or permanent separation (How common is divorce and what are the reasons?). The risk of divorce is even higher for second marriages, about 60% (How common is divorce and what are the reasons?). In today’s society divorce is increasing more often than ever. As the number of divorced parents increase, the children of the divorced parents are more likely to get divorced (Why have divorce rates increase over time?). For many reasons can be the case when divorce happens. There are many factors leading to cause divorce, also there are alternative routes to help cope with divorce. Couples change, grow and develop from their spouse. Couples interests become incompatible as a result, their marriage begins to suffer.
This paper discusses the correlation of children with divorced parents and their ability or inability to have intimate relationships in their futures. In most cases, it depends on the age of the child at the time of the divorce. Studies showed that marital problems, including but not limited to divorce, was associated with negative social, emotional, and physical affects in the children’s lives. Most articles included have different types of specific details, but all generally have the same outcome, being that children with divorced parents love differently than those that have parents happily married. Similar studies surveyed college students and discovered that children with fathers, who divorced and remarried, did not have a close relationship, which made these children more likely to avoid relationships. This literature review discusses the impact that divorce has on children who have or do not have relationships because of what happened to their parents’ relationships.
Divorce even affects children in aspects like drugs, alcohol, and premarital sexual intercourse. Robert L. Flewelling and Karl E. Bauman, "Family Structure as a Predictor of Initial Substance Use and Sexual Intercourse in Early Adolescence," Journal of Marriage and the Family 52 (1990): 171-181. “Teens
Each and every day a child somewhere in the world is experiencing major changes within their family. One of those major changes is divorce or separation of parents. Divorce is “the action or an instance of legally dissolving a marriage”(Webster, 2011 p1). Today’s reality shows that couples only have one in two odds of remaining together. “ The U.S. Census bureau – involved in research about counseling children of divorce- estimating that approximately 50% of all American children born in 1982 lived in a single-parent homes sometime during their first 18 years. Mostly are due to divorce”(Children of Divorce, 2008 p.1). The rapid increase in divorce rates is a factor that has contributed to the large decline of the typical family. “Over 1
This paper is going to be about the various effects of divorce. I will look at three different ways that divorce effects the children. I will first look at the ways that divorce affects a students academic achievement. I will then look at the effects that divorce has on relationships with both parents and other people and lastly I will examine the emotional effects of divorce. The effects of divorce on children can change almost all aspects of a person's life including where they live, with whom they live with, their standard of living, their emotional happiness, their assets and liabilities, time spent with parent and other family, and so much more. A number of children have plenty of trouble in schools but it’s
The prevalence of divorce, especially in the West, is a phenomenon that requires recognition and study.
Divorce has a profound intergenerational effect, as well: one study showed that “ever-divorced grandparents live significantly farther away from the parent and grandchild report a weaker relationship with the parent and are more likely to be part of a family system where both generations have divorced. (13 % v. 3 %)” Some scholars studied the long-reaching effects of divorce across three generations and found that “divorce in the first (G1) generation was associated with lower education, more marital discord, weaker ties with mothers, and weaker ties with fathers in the third (G3) generation. These associations where mediated by family characteristics in the middle (G2) generation, including lower education, more marital discord, and greater tension in the early parent child relationships.” This study demonstrates that parental divorce has consequences for children and subsequent generations; and that “parental divorce doubled the odds of divorce” in the child’s own life. Of special note is the finding that children of divorce are less likely to think they should support their parents in old age.
In this 21st century the family concept is continuiously changing dynamic, there can be two males or two females as parents. Parents that are going through divorce or an increase in marital dissolution are often concerned about the effect that it will have on their children. They wonder if they are sacrificing their childrens health and happiness for their own selfish needs. Majority of scholarly studies, have found adverse results for the affects of divorce on children’s development. However the traditional sequence of research lean towards the negative consequences; showing that compared to children with continuously married biological parents, children with divorced parents are disadvantaged regarding various life outcomes, including likelihood of dropping out of high school, cognitive skills, psychosocial well-being, and social relations. …finds that more than half of all divorces involving children under the age of 18. This high rate of marital disruption, combined with an increase in births outside marriage, means that about half of all children will reside at least temporarily in single-parent households. however, even even with this decline in the social stigma attached to divorce; the negative consequences are yet to significantly lessen. Never the less, recent research has found that for adults as well as children, the end of a
This paper tackles the various effects of divorce on a child not just on a short term basis but as well as the long term ones such as depression, anxiety, drug addiction, and alcoholism.
From past to present people all over the world have determined to live together, or “get married”. Marriage can be a beautiful thing, but some couples are unable to maintain their relationship, because they choose divorce as a solution to cope with the problems between husband and wife. Furthermore divorce is definitely on a rise. The effects of divorce can be detrimental to a family, but the causes of divorce can be just as bad. In this essay we will cover one of the main causes of divorce and one of the main effects.