Divorce: Trends, Patterns, Causes, and Consequences

Divorce: Trends, Patterns, Causes, and Consequences

by Krislyn Dapprich -
Number of replies: 9

Wiley chapter 15, “Parental divorce often causes increased levels of anxiety during the divorce process, which can be exacerbated by the stress it lays on parents and their capability to engage in effective parenting. For many children, however, these effects are relatively short-lived, as many adjust to the new situation reasonably well over time. For others, it may present a source of more chronic strain from which they never fully recover. One of the avenues through which parental divorce can have long-term effects on children’s life courses is through educational attainment. If parental divorce disturbs the child’s educational career - for example, through affecting their economic or psychological well-being or relationships with his/her parents, teachers, or friends - this disturbance may translate into lower levels of socioeconomic attainment and physical and psychological well-being in adulthood.” (314) There are many other long-term effects of parental divorce that involve the family life experiences of these children. Such as their own future relationships, contact between children and their family members, such as their parents and grandparents, and even effects on their own self well-being.

How else do you think divorce effects children? Their future relationships, are they prone to divorce themselves? Relationships with their family members? And their own happiness, do they still feel experience feelings of sadness and loss, even long after the parental separation? 


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In reply to Krislyn Dapprich

Re: Divorce: Trends, Patterns, Causes, and Consequences

by Deleted user -
While Wiley talks about overall educational attainment of children of a divorce and their adulthood SES, I can speak from experience of a child during the specific educational time they are experiencing divorce. My parents got divorced when I was younger, and it continued to be "messy" throughout my K-8 years. There was one year specifically, 5th grade, where things got worse than usual. 5th grade is the year I learned long division, but due to life factors I did not really focus in class and learn what I needed to. 5th grade is also when kids are assessed for the "gifted" program. I did not do well academically, and felt quite pessimistic about my academic abilities from then on. As an adult who excels in post-secondary education, I have the ability to reflect and realize my negative thoughts about my academic performance in Elementary school stem from trauma I was experiencing at the time, and the gap of knowledge I missed not being to focus in the classroom. All of that to say, I could see how it would affect adulthood SES.

183 words

In reply to Krislyn Dapprich

Re: Divorce: Trends, Patterns, Causes, and Consequences

by Deleted user -
In response to your second question, I think it is a similar answer to the conclusion we came to on the topic of partner violence. Some children will continue the cycle, but some will be disgusted buy it and what differently for themselves. I am personally the latter. Divorce is extremely situational. In some cases, one parent loses complete custody. In others, both parents share custody. If one child is completely stripped from their parent, I am sure they experience issues with separation. However, is a parent is taken away from one of their parents, the benefit of safety far exceeds the risks of emotional distress which can be fixed overtime with the rights treatment. That is why therapy for all children from a certain age is CRUCIAL.

128 words

In reply to Krislyn Dapprich

Re: Divorce: Trends, Patterns, Causes, and Consequences

by Colin Glover -
I think divorce can cause effects on a child's educational attainment because it causes them to lose focus of academic successes and instead focus on their homelife so they will lose the desire to learn at times or use the divorce as a way to justify not having to be engaged educational activity. I think divorce can also cause emotional distress for a child because they are now only going to be able to see their parents for "certain" periods of time due to them splitting up which means they lose that ability to freely see both parents which can cause trauma. I do not think that even though a child grows up in a divorced household that their future relationship will end in divorce. I feel like it would also be less likely because the child would now have a better idea of what not to do in their future relationships.

152 words

In reply to Krislyn Dapprich

Re: Divorce: Trends, Patterns, Causes, and Consequences

by Deleted user -
When my parents got divorced, it definitely impacted a lot more of my life than I anticipated. Even now I can see some of the long-term effects it has had on my relationships with my parents, the rest of my family, and even with partners. For some people whose parents divorce, yes they might be more likely to divorce once they are married. Not having a healthy marriage to look up to can really change how a person handles their own romantic relationships. But on the other hand, people whose parents divorce may also be more willing to work harder in their own marriages or more cautious when deciding to marry after experiencing that. It may serve as an example of how not to behave or what not to do in a relationship. On the more emotional side of things, I do think that even long after divorce people can still feel negative emotions. Each separation or divorce is extremely different, but depending on how it is handled by the parents it can really be traumatizing for some children. Things like family counseling or therapy could be utilized to help prevent emotional problems that happen actively during the divorce or that may arise later on in the child's life.

209 words

In reply to Krislyn Dapprich

Re: Divorce: Trends, Patterns, Causes, and Consequences

by Deleted user -
I feel like the child's psychological damage from the divorce is far greater than any of the former partners. The child may be scared to even get into a relationship after the separation in fear that it may wind up the same that or it may cause the child to have anger towards any relationship in the future. I don't think that it will make the child more prone to get divorced but I do feel that the child may not trust relationships in the future all together. Divorce of your parents is a pain that will stick around long after it happens just due to the fact of visiting both parents separately and never getting to see them together knowing that they don't want to be so the pain will last longer.

133 words

In reply to Krislyn Dapprich

Re: Divorce: Trends, Patterns, Causes, and Consequences

by Deleted user -
I feel the kids are affected mentally by the life we can not measure if they are old enough to understand. Once a child reaches a certain age level or maturity level, they will comprehend the situation. Going off what I just said, if the children are old enough, their future relationships are in jeopardy because they will start to feel that pressure of cause the pressure as what they saw as kids. If the children are too young, I think their relationships will be okay because either they can not remember what happened or do not understand it. The relationship with the leaving parent may be more stranded because they could blame them. I would say it is, except that the kids experience a source of sadness or loss because that is a significant event in a child's life.

140 words

In reply to Krislyn Dapprich

Re: Divorce: Trends, Patterns, Causes, and Consequences

by Masaki Oguni -
I do not think parent divorce will affect children's divorce directly. However, the stress that they got from the divorce has a huge impact on their way of thinking about their life and love. The age is older when their parents break up, the more shocks they have from that divorce because they already have much confidence and attachments to their parents. People have to think about their children first when they are likely to break up. I think divorce can affect children's growth greatly mentally and financially.

88 words

In reply to Krislyn Dapprich

Re: Divorce: Trends, Patterns, Causes, and Consequences

by Sarah Van Hoose -
Divorce can affect children in a variety of ways, which you listed in your question. I think a big factor in the effects a divorce has on a child is their age. Younger children may have a hard time comprehending what is happening and many elementary and middle school aged children, may believe that they are the cause for the divorce. This being said a younger child experiencing a divorce may cause educational and social issues. If a child us upset about what going in in their personal life, they won't be as focused on what they are learning or socializing with friends. Older children may have a better understanding of what divorce is and even the reason for it. Depending on the situation this could cause a multitude of different reactions and may be a factor in their young adult dating life. I can only speak from what I have been told from my friends who grew up with divorced parents, but I think it can impact their view on marriage in multiple ways. Some may view marriage as less important because their parents did not work out and may be more willing to consider divorce in their future marriages. However, on the flip side, some may use what they have been through to make them strive for a healthy and happy relationship that has the least likely hood of ending in divorce.

234 words

In reply to Krislyn Dapprich

Re: Divorce: Trends, Patterns, Causes, and Consequences

by Benee Fincher -
Divorce can be a very touchy subject to some. My best friend’s parents are divorced but her mother remarried and her father is dating someone. When she was younger it took a lot out of her, when she got to see her friends parents together and working out. She was angry all the time and always mean towards the men in her life that dated her mom. She tends to be somewhat distant towards her stepfather now. Her older brother was always rebellious towards their stepfather but responded to his real father. Watching them and growing up with them, I got to see how they acted at home and at school. And it did too affect their education, mainly the brother. Sometimes my bestfriend speaks on being afraid of getting married after seeing firsthand a failed marriage, but she goes through a lot of crap in her relationship just for the sake of not being in a failed relationship like her parents did. But through it all she makes the best of it, she learned the reason of the divorce and got a better concept of herself, but the thoughts of marriage is conflicting at times.
I personally never had that expeirnce but i know more people in those situations. It affects children in so many ways.

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