Divorce

“For a young child, psychologically, divorce is the equivalent of lifting a hundred-pound weight over the head. Processing all he radical and unprecedented changes-loss of a parent, loss of a home, of friends- stretches immature cognitive and emotional abilities to the absolute limit and some-times beyond that limit.” (Hetherington & Kelly, 2002)

Divorce has shown to reap negative effects on children immediately in regards to academic performance and behavior. While these effects are apparent during the process of divorce and soon after, divorce also effects children well into their adult lives in regards to their future relationships and academic aspirations. With the surplus of research and data that is now available, it is clear that children are negatively impacted by divorce. Research shows that there is a decrease in academic progression, greater susceptibility to illegal substances, inclination towards future divorce, and decline of socioeconomic status among children of divorce. The effects of divorce are very personal, but also create a ripple effect economically and socially. Research regarding the effects of divorce has also lead to an expansion of helpful resources that attempt to soften the blow o parental separation on children. Programs have been created to dilute negative effects by educating parents about the effects of divorce on their children. Therapeutic resources are available specifically for children who are experiencing parental separation. (Brown 2009) While each situation is unique on its own, generally children of divorce are placed at a great disadvantage when compared to children of married parents.

Divorce is a common occurrence in the United States, and because of this there are also many blended families, or step-families.  This change in family stricture can be stressful on all family members. Learning to incorporate another family into your own can be a challenge, but is possible when effective communication and positive interactions are prominent.