Psychodynamic Effects Of Divorce On Children

Divorce is one of the most common happenings in the world experienced by children. Most children go through different adjustments to become comfortable with the fact that their parents are not together anymore. Children of divorced parents are prone to lifelong effects. Seventy-five to eighty percent of children have divorced parents and twenty-five percent of those children have serious social, emotional, or psychological problems for the rest of their life. Most adults think that it is best for parents to stay together for the sake of their child because having two parents in different households can become difficult for the child socially and academically.

Divorce, a very controversial issue in today’s society, has glaring effects on society as well as individuals. Approximately half of all marriages will end in divorce, resulting in close to one million children per year struggling to deal with the aftermath (Fischer 2007). Parental divorce has been proven to have long-term negative effects on adult mental health (Chase-Lansdale, Cherlin Kiernan 1995). Divorce was at its highest rate in the early 1980s. The first group of children to be affected by these very high divorce rates entered adulthood in the 1990s allowing sociological research to begin on the adverse affects associated with divorce over the span of different ages. Until this time, a lot of research focused on short-term effects surrounding

The statistics for divorce in the 1990's suggest that nearly sixty percent of marriages end in divorce. Given this startling figure, the assumption can be made that many children will experience some effects caused by the life-changing event called 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? I will attempt to uncover some of the complexities surrounding these psychological questions in the following text. The unsettling fact is: young children of divorced parents face great psychological challenges due to the environmental conditions and changes associated with divorce (Wolchik and Karoly 45).

With the large and growing number of divorce rates, research is now discussing the effects it has on the children of divorced parents. Now divorce does not just impact the individuals going through it, but their children as well. Not only do children have to live with one or the other parent, have shared custody, or various other living arrangements that may change, but their entire life that they knew changes. Research is

However, this is not the reality of our times. McConville (2013) states 41-50% of first marriages end in divorce in the United States. The affect the divorce has on the child is dictated by how the parents maneuver through the transition. Potter (2010) states that elementary and high school students both display poorer psychosocial well-being versus children from non-divorced families (pg. 933). Adolescents face many struggles and challenges throughout this developmental stage. Being a child of divorced parents can heighten stress and anxiety leading to depressive symptoms. To avoid and or decrease this instance, adolescents affected by divorce can benefit heavily through group counseling with others facing identical

Divorce is comparable to an epidemic since it has been filtering through many societies at an increasingly alarming rate. According to the most current statistic, there are more than 2.1 million marriages in the United States (“Children of Divorced Parents”). Out of those, almost half end in divorce. Divorce nowadays is extremely common. In fact, in America there is one divorce every thirty-six seconds (National Marriage and Divorce Rate Trends”). Each year over a million American children suffer from the divorce of their parents (Amato 24-26). Even though it might be shown to benefit some individuals in their own personal case, for the majority it causes a decrease in an individual’s life and puts many people “on a downward trajectory from which they might never fully recover” (Amato). Over long term, the United States divorce rate has been on a rise since 1980, which means more children being affected (Macionis). These children that are affected are faced by emotions of anger, confusion and even fear. These emotions affect their academic performance, social interactions, behavior, self-esteem and other negative effects. This literature review is important in calling attention on the current research studying impacts of divorce on children. The topic of divorce is a wide-ranging topic. However, this particular literature review focuses only on the effects that divorce has on children. The data presented in this paper is collected from

A comprehensive review of research from several disciplines regarding long-term effects of divorce on children yields a growing consensus that significant numbers of children suffer for many years from psychological and social difficulties associated with continuing and/or new stresses within the post divorce family and experience heightened anxiety in forming enduring attachments at later developmental stages including young adulthood. Different conceptual models in the field are explicated. Major lacunac in research, particularly around issues of public policy, are identified. The critical importance of expanding clinical research to enhance understanding of the child's perspective and experience is proposed.

According to the Encyclopedia of Psychology, one half of all marriages in the United States end in divorce. With these one million children are affected each year. Eighty five percent of these children live in single parent households, with the mother being the head of the house. The father is usually distant or does not speak to the children at all. These children are highly affected and experience a great deal of emotional and academic problems. Especially when you compare them to children with non-divorced parents. During adolescence, these children have twice as high as a rate of dropping out of high school, having teenage pregnancy, and experiencing deliquiate behavior. I am not a child of divorce, but a child dear to me is. I have seen firsthand the emotional tear that it can play into a child’s life, and the way it affects a family. Divorce may cause children to grow up anxious and scared. Children may even ask themselves “why me?”, “what can I do?”, and “where should I go from here?”.

The author of the article The Effects of Divorce on Children: Married and Divorced Parents’ Perspectives has a Bachelors of Arts in psychology from San Diego University. She also has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Loma Linda University. (Faculty Profile) The publishing company is a group of renowned companies joined together to provide accurate scholarly information to the population. (Taylor and Francis)

In modern time, divorce is something that is gradually becoming more popular throughout America’s society. Healthy marriages are not only beneficial for a married couple but also for the children as growing up in a happy home protects children from mental, physical, educational and social problems (“Marriage and divorce”). There are numerous findings that point to the negative effects that divorce can have on a child’s life. Divorce has been shown to cause emotional and psychological strain for a young person. Specifically, children often experience heightened feelings of abandonment and isolation after a parental separation. Another aspect of divorce that has been shown to impact adolescents is a decline in schoolwork. Children also experience

Thinking about divorce? Before making any decisions, think about your child’s emotions toward your decision. Maybe that will change your mind. Every child is different, so every child will accept and adapt to a change like this differently. In this paper I will be discussing the impact of divorce on children, children’s adaptations to their situations, and finally, my journey through parents’ divorce.

of marriages end in divorce. Given this startling figure, the presumption can be made that many children will experience some effects caused by the life-changing event called divorce. What is it exactly about divorce that causes negative consequences for these children? In what ways will these children be affected? 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 (Wolchik and Karoly 45). When we pass the year 2000, we will see two groups of working age adults emerging. One

Divorce causes both psychological and physical side effects in the involved children. Typically, children enter into an emotional state of fear and anxiety resulting from the monumental changes occurring within their environmental and family contexts. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) defines anxiety and fear as, “…the emotional response to real or perceived threats, whereas anxiety is anticipation of future threat” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 189). Children of divorce often experience both emotional states simultaneously. Children also experience fear stemming from the current perceived threat of their parents’ divorcing, and they experience anxiety stemming from the perceived threat of a radically different parental relationship and home environment.

Depression is another concern for children who have experienced divorce. Children are more likely to suffer from depression if their parents are split than if they are still together (Fox 2001). Depression affects the way a child acts in daily life. Children from divorced houses are more likely to suffer from some form of depression or another than those from married families (Doherty et al. 1989, as cited in Fox 2001). Fox 2001 studies the effect divorce has on children by a survey given to 118 students ranging in ages 18-25. The survey includes True of False questions on their ?attitudes, opinions, interests, and other characteristics regarding the divorce that affected them (Fox 2001).? This study found that 26% of the students surveyed needed some kind of counseling regarding depression post divorce (Fox 2001). Separation of parents can have extremely harmful and lasting affects involving depression. Divorce negatively affects a child?s psyche and makes them more depressed.

It is common understanding that divorce has serious impacts to a child’s mental health. Studies have shown that children who have experienced parental divorce have a higher risk of metal health issues like depression,