The Effects of Divorce on Children

The Effects of Divorce on Children

Introduction

Divorce has become a very significant issue as the divorce rate is increasing day by day. In Spain, the divorce rate is around 30% of marriages. In USA, it is over 40% of the marriages. Statistics on the divorce rate of marriages could give an idea of the rate of marital failure. Due to increased divorce rate, not only partners are affected, but the children are also affected significantly. It has a severely negative impact on their personality. Their development also hinders significantly.

Thesis

Divorce could have significant psychological and sociological impact on children and these impacts are generally very negative that affects the upbringing of the children.

Discussion

The divorce of parents completely transforms the lives of their children, and this transformation occurs in great pain: lose the daily intimacy with one parent, it changes the family order. The impacts may be very different according to sex and age of children when separation occurs, but there are common elements in the experience of all children who have gone through this crisis. The information referred to in this work arises mostly from the most extensive research that has been done on divorce (Fine, 2006).

The initial responses of children are not to be in the problems leading to divorce and that divorce has a high impact on their community. In children, the divorce of their parents means the collapse of the structure responsible for providing basic nutrition and protection.

The initial pain experienced by children and adolescents, in response to marital separation is compounded by the fantasies about the disaster divorce will bring into the life. Children experience a pervasive sense of vulnerability. Often, they also must confront the additional losses of friends, family, neighborhood, and school. Children worry about the pain and anguish of their parents. They are interested in knowing who will care for them and if the parent with custody can handle alone (Harvey, 2004).

They experience intense anger toward one or both parents to the family breakdown. The anger is reactive and defends on the own feelings of inadequacy and concern about being lost. The fear of being neglected gives priority to their own desires and needs.

They often feel hurt by the division of loyalty, as if compelled to choose between their parents. Children can suffer guilt of thinking that may be causing the divorce. This is especially likely in young children, or when parents have fought over issues relating child.Young children want to be the hero who remedied the broken marriage.

Divorce could have following affects on the children:

•Change of residence, school and friends: The parental divorce involves important changes in the environment of the child. One may have to change schools, or residence. The impact of this factor in the development and social adjustment of children is very important.

•Forced cohabitation with a parent or family members of any of them: It is not always the choice of the parent with whom one lives, it depends on what the ...