...Divorce affects children of every ethnic background, religion, and socioeconomic status. Approximately 50% of all first marriages will end in divorce, with over 1 million children being affected per year (Ahrons, 2007). Chaos and stress, probably feelings that have been prevalent for some time prior to divorce, result and impact the now divided family unit. Children are particularly vulnerable to the affects of divorce. Unable to understand and process such complex matters of life, children resort to alternative ways of expressing their heartache and confusion. Not only is there an emotional impact on these children’s lives but there is also a psychological impact with these children dealing with the effects of relocation. Children are forced to become independent and moral thinkers at such a young age which they might not be mentally prepared for which can result in future consequences. A major contributor to the well being of children after a divorce are the parents who need to remain attentive to their children’s needs and stay active participants in their growing years. This outlines the systems theory which describes how the family needs to work out strategies to deal with new challenges at each stage of life. In order for children to recover a stable perspective of the family after a divorce, the parents must take into consideration the emotional stability of their children, the effects of relocation and possible child coping strategies to help this difficult process...
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...The Effects Of Divorce On Children Mohamet Thiam Western Governors University WGU Student ID# 000204437 The Effects Of divorce On Children The society in general has a better view of divorce now days. According to Jolivet in one of her recent articles in 2011, if you compare the view of society about divorce in the 1950s when women who divorced were stigmatized and today when half of the marriage end in divorce, the view of society about divorce has truly evolved. The rapid societal changes and economic development have contributed to the rise of women at almost the same level as men for professional occupations and to a higher social status with growing women’s rights. The National Center for Health Statistics has estimated in 2011 that between 850,000 and 950,000 couples divorces every year and more than half of divorcing couples have at least one children. In light of the alarming number of children involved in divorce, many studies have been conducted to shed some light on the possible effects on children. In the United States in particular, there are thousands of studies related to the many impacts of divorce on children well being. Research has shown that divorce can have a tremendous impact on children because it can be source of emotional distress especially in the early years, psychological problems, and socialization difficulties. The purpose of the research paper is to synthesize and analyze the well-supported studies conducted by knowledgeable authors...
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...The Impact of Divorce on Children Sociology 210 Amy Totten Abstract How do children react to divorce? In most recent times, the impact of divorce on children has emerged as a problem of concern. Divorce may be the most devastating situation that can happen to children. Alarmingly, studies have revealed that 50 percent of children under the age of 18 will experience the dissolution of their parents’ marriage. When a divorce occurs, parents tend to forget about the child and do not realize how much of a negative impact that it has on the child. Children already go through enough stress of just everyday situations and to add to it only make things worse. The impact of divorce will affect each child differently, but all will experience some type of emotional distress. This paper will provide a detailed description of the emotional and psychological effects of divorce on infants; school aged children and adolescents, behavioral development in children of divorce, and strategies to help children cope with divorce. The Impact of Divorce on Children The traditional lifestyle of living with both parents is almost rare in today’s society. Divorce is a very tragic situation especially when it involves children. As the world turns, the divorce rates continue to rise. Studies have revealed that 50 percent of children under the age of 18 will experience divorce. In the process of the divorce parents really don’t understand that through divorce it affects them but it...
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...March 5, 2011 Affects of Divorce on Children Introduction Divorce can have a devastating impact on a family. Children are particularly vulnerable when their parents are divorced. For many years, experts in the field of child psychology and child development have researched the impact of divorce on children. They have found that children of divorce can have a wide range of problems including behavioral, emotional and adjustment difficulties. For the purposes of this discussion, I will explore the impact of divorce on children. According to current data, nearly 51% of all marriages in the United States end in divorce (Love and Murdock , 2008). In addition, the divorce rate began to increase in the 1960’s. Many factors may have contributed to this increase including women feeling a sense of greater independence and ability to support themselves (Love and Murdock, 2008). Along with these factors is the increase in the number of stepfamilies because many who remarry already have children (Love and Murdock, 2008). The introduction of the stepfamily into a divorced situation can lead to even greater problems for children of divorce (Love and Murdock, 2008). Another researcher reports that there are differing opinions concerning the impact of divorce on children. Jeynes (2005) reports some experts believe that most children heal from divorce 2 to 3 years after the divorce has occurred. While others have concluded that the impact of divorce can be seen well into adulthood...
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...The Effects of Divorce on Children Christopher M Quinn Developmental Psychology Liberty University Abstract This research paper will attempt to shed light of the very real issue of the effects of divorce on children in the United States and abroad. It is estimated that currently fifty-three percent of all marriages in the United States end in divorce or other less than amicable methods; of these marriage dissolutions, seven out of ten involve children. This paper will attempt to connect the negative psychological impacts that are attached to the lives of children especially in the vulnerable early developmental stages of a child’s life. This research paper will pull from many different reputable sources that include a prominent university, psychiatric journals, and accredited psychology research papers. Today in the United States of America over fifty percent of all marriages, no matter what religion joined the couple, end in a divorce or less than amicable circumstances. There have been many theories presented over time as to why divorce occurs and why these rates have increased so dramatically over the last forty years. Some believe that the economy may play a role; others believe that the length of the engagement or relationship plays an important part; the couple living together prior to marriage “increases” the chance that divorce will result; or not cohabitating prior to marriage may contribute as the transition period is too stressful; still others believe...
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...Impact of a broken family on children “Broken” Homes: The Effect of Divorce on Children Going through a divorce is a very difficult situation to be in. Usually it is what is happening between the parents, that concerns most people. However hurtful divorce is on the couple that is going through it, the children end up with the greatest amount of problems. These problems that the children develop are not always obvious, and do no always come to the surface right away. “Most often the children responded to the announcement [of the divorce] with apprehensiveness or anger . . . Several children panicked . . . finally, a great many of the younger children, about one-third of the entire group, didn’t really believe what they had been told. For these youngsters, the single announcement by the parents made it easier for them to pretend that the divorce would soon go away and to postpone their own response to the frightening changes in their lives” (Wallerstein 40-41). Children often try to stop the divorce of their parents, but there are many who seem to accept it at first. These who seem to accept it may even tell their parents that they are happy about the divorce. This is not necessarily the case, as one would see if he or she spoke with the child for a while. There are many things that divorce does to a family, and there are many things that is does to the child. These effects are rarely positive, or helpful depending upon the family’s prior situation. Divorce has many...
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...Children of Divorce Kirsten Honahan Devry University Children of Divorce Divorce is never a goal when people get married, but in today’s society it has become the norm. Why is it that so many do divorce? I believe the stigma of being divorced is not there anymore, meaning it’s not a bad thing. Divorce being so common now I believe people are in a throw away society, the commonality is too popular. We are in a society now that if something is too hard we just give up and throw it away. Why are people so consumed with themselves and not with others especially when it comes to their children, we are in a selfish society and it is all about me. I understand when abuse is involved and the necessary steps to remove yourself from that situation. I’m focusing on married people who decide to dissolve a marriage whatever the reason besides violence. Being a child of divorce myself the questions I still have are, did you really try hard enough or it must have been easier to give up. Was it that bad that you had to move out of a beautiful home into a rented run down home you could barely afford. Do parents consider the consequences children will experience when they do divorce or do they just think of themselves. Marriage is not easy being in one myself almost twenty five years; having children myself I made it my goal to raise two stable productive people of society. I’m sure that is a goal for every parent, but I put my children first besides my own needs. Nothing...
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...consequences of divorce for children? Jimmy Beltran Devry University What are the possible consequences of divorce for children? I am writing this paper in response to the Journal of Marriage and Family titled, “Estimating the Effects of Parental Divorce and Death with Fixed Effects Models” by Amato, Paul and Anthony, Christopher. Amato and Christopher provide an inciting perception in support of a controversial issue that affects modern society. Amato and Christopher (2014) argue in support of the perception that increasing cases of divorces have a negative effect on children growth. In their research, Amato and Christopher (2014) use child fixed effect model to approximate the impacts of parent divorce in various outcomes. Two sets of data form the basis for this research. First, the researcher utilizes Kindergarten Cohort Early Childhood Longitudinal Study. The second approach involves the use of National Educational Longitudinal Study. The first model targets children below the fifth grade while the second, children between 5th and 8th grade. In both models, the researcher associated divorce with negative effects on children. In the second analysis, Amato and Christopher (2014) established a substantial variability degree in children’s outcome after parental divorce, as some children improved while others declined in health. The approximated impacts of divorce seemed to be strongest among children with the highest vulnerability to parental divorce. As...
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...Research Paper: The Impact of Divorce on Children Jimmy Trolinger Liberty University On-Line Author Note Jimmy Trolinger, Psychology Student at Liberty University Prepared for Professor Jennifer Kennedy Psychology 210 D-12 Liberty University Abstract Divorce causes many problems for children and has many implications. Psychological implications include mental health problems and behavioral problems. Social roles are turned inside out and upside down. Children are often pulled in many directions. In the United States divorce is very common and often leaves children confused and without options. Many turn toward violence, crime, drugs, and isolation. Studies show how adults can reduce the tension for these children. Other studies show how we can help guide them through religious implications as well as legal problems. Parents and caregivers need to be able to identify and know how to help children with their psychological, social, religious, and legal issues in this critical and chaotic period of the child’s life. How Divorce Affects Our Children Researchers have done many research projects and studies on how divorce can affect children. Many problems can develop in a child during and following a divorce as well as the period of pre-divorce. Some of the problems that a child can have before during and after a divorce are mental health, behavioral, social, and religious problems. Psychologists, councilors, teachers, and parents...
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...Divorce and Its Possible Negative Effects on Children The purpose of this essay is to discuss divorce and its possible negatives impacts on the family, particularly children. In today’s society, divorce is a very common occurrence in families across the country. And, because of this fact many studies have dedicated a significant amount of attention to divorce and how it impacts families and children. Divorce has become an acceptable method of resolution when difficulties arise in the marriage, which may imply to some that a great deal of emphasis is no longer placed on keeping the family intact. In recent years, statistics show that over 60 percent of marriages in this country end in divorce, and this fact has some researchers and psychologists arguing that not only has divorce left the home broken, but many of the children that are products of this divide are showing signs of brokenness as well. The relationships that one shares with members of their family are often times the most significant bonds that are formed throughout one’s lifetime. As a result when these meaningful relationships are threatened by breakups, ultimately ending in divorce the negative impact can be prove to be severe. This is mainly true when the family relationship changes in a way where it becomes unfamiliar to the family members involved, and this is especially the case when there are children involved. When parents decide to divorce, many children find that it is very difficult to express and...
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...Divorce and Children According to the study that was done in 2004 "In the United States, between 43% and 50% of first marriages end in divorce"(U.S Census Bureau qtd inLansford 140). One can assume that many children will experience some affects caused by divorce. There is evidence to support that children would be better off if the parents stayed married and there is equal supporting evidence that it would be better off if they divorced. A survey done in 2009 by 1000 teenagers "When asked what the teens wanted their parents to know they said that divorce "hurts," "sucks" and that they "don’t want to be blamed for it" or caught in the middle"(GordonPoll Youth Survey qtd inJolivet 175). There are three main areas that impact children's experience with divorce such as behavioral, psychological, and social issues. Children are effected by divorce in many ways which cause their behavior to not be normal. When children go through a traumatic event, such as losing a parent to divorce, they want to act out because they are hurt, and do not know what to do with their emotions. An article written by Ahron Constance states "…..divorce prevents certain risks, is an emotionally stressful and complex transition for families, and continues to affect children into adulthood" (55). Divorce is a hard thing for children to learn how to cope with. Children of different ages rebel in different ways; they do this because at different age levels they cannot comprehend certain things and are...
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...The Psychological and Emotional Effects of Divorce in Adolescents Danielle Nicole Mickens Holmes Community College Abstract Lately there has been an increase in the divorce rates in the United States. While there may be ways to prevent it, it affects the lifestyles of adolescents’ and other people around them. Usually children and adolescents take divorce harder than the adults involved. This review shows how adolescents can be psychologically and emotionally affected by divorce. It also reviews how they may be able to cope during the process of divorce. The Psychological and Emotional Affects of Divorce in Adolescents “Till death do us part” are the vows people normally say when they get married. People often dream of a fairy tale wedding and they also believe that they have found what they may call their soul mates. Apparently as years go by, those vows and beliefs seems to decrease. Divorce is known as dissolving the legal union of marriage. And with that being said the divorce rate in the United States is the highest in the world. 50% of marriages end in divorce. However, children and adolescents that are involved in the divorce can be psychological and emotionally affected by it. Divorces can change a person’s lifestyle. (Wendel, 1997) One out of every two marriages that end in divorce includes children and adolescents. Research collected gives an understanding on how adolescents psychologically act, emotionally feel, and the resources they...
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...The Impact of Divorce on Children Lisa Greatwhite Liberty University PSYC 210-D07 Abstract Compared to forty years ago the divorce rate has increased at an alarming rate. Leaving the children torn and confused about their lives before and after. Children that where once seen as resilient are now seen as vulnerable. There is a vast amount of research that supports how children are affected before, during and after their parents’ divorce. Some of the issues that impact children can cause short-term psychological issues. Leaving those children that are affected to act out in various ways, from regressing backward in the developmental process to psychosocial well-being as it relates to academic performance. Long-term effects for children that result from divorce remain present throughout life. The adult child of divorce may carry unresolved issues into their own relationships. This behavior can put the adult child in high risk for divorce. With this understanding many schools and courts are beginning to offer ways to help children emotionally and socially through counseling and interventions. The Impact of Divorce on Children The research conducted on the divorce rate in the last decade has shown a steady climb. Daniel Pickar (2003), stated in an article from Sonoma county Medical Association, “Forty percent of all children growing up in America today will experience a parental divorce”. (Pickar 2003, p. 1) Most contributed the drastic increase to the court laws on what...
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...The Impact of Divorce on Children under Eighteen Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx L33333333 Liberty University Abstract Today, practically everyone knows someone who has been divorced. It is sad, but true. Nearly half of all marriages in the United States today end in divorce. As recently as the 1990’s, nearly fifteen million children faced the life-changing crisis of a divorce. Most of these children were under eight years of age. Approximately one million new children each year go through divorce. According to the 2010 US Bureau of the Census data collection, more than half of school-age children will have spent substantial time living with a single parent or in a stepfamily. Children of divorced families may suffer life-long mental issues resulting from childhood experiences. This research paper will focus on the biosocial, cognitive, psychosocial, and spiritual impacts of divorce that can be placed upon children under the age of eighteen. The results of this study are to help counselors to assist children in their time of need. Keywords: children, divorce, families The Impact of Divorce on Children under Eighteen It may be help for us to understand something about divorce and the typical effects it has on families. The divorce rate of first marriages in the United States is at fifty percent. That is the highest in the world. Second marriages has a rate even higher, it is sixty-seven...
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...Research Interest Paper I am interested in exploring research on the topic of the effects of divorce on children in the United States. In particular I would like to examine if there are significant differences among children that come from divorced families and children that come from intact families in their adulthood. Within this topic I will be specifically looking for any distinctions in terms of relationships in adulthood and the factors that influence any differences. This idea is interesting because a significant number of people in the United States with children get divorced each year. The immediate impact on children at the time of a divorce is generally taken into account; however, the long-term psychological effects are rarely considered. If there are any significant differences it is something that parents who are thinking of divorcing should take into account. Additionally, children of divorce should be aware of any challenges they might encounter as a tool avoid potential risks and be more resilient. I have background knowledge of the immediate impact that divorce has on children at the time the divorce takes place from psychology course I have taken in the past. I also have general idea as the consequences divorce can have on different stages of childhood from the books The Marriage Go Around: The State Of Marriage And The Family in America Today by Andrew J. Cherlin and a few research studies I have read in different course. From the knowledge I have obtained...
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