Divorce
Issues Paper
Divorce
Introduction:
Divorce can be a traumatizing experience for the entire family, and the effects are especially felt by any children involved. Children in the stages of early childhood development are especially more vulnerable since it is a time of rapid change and learning.
Effects specifically on the young child:
A child may feel a sense of loss - separation from a parent can mean he lost not only his home, but his whole way of life. He can feel fearful about being left alone - if one parent can go, perhaps the other will do the same, angry at one or both parents for the relationship breakdown, worried about having caused the parental separation, rejected and insecure and torn between both parents. These feelings are often made worse by the fact that many children have to move home and sometimes school when parents separate, and most families in this situation come under some financial strain, even if they did not have money worries before. Even if the parental relationship had been very tense or violent, children may still have mixed feelings about the separation. Many children hold onto a wish that their parents may get back together.
Effects on family members:
Actually, the tensions and misunderstandings between the parents usually start long before the divorce, making the life of both man and woman really terrible. Sometimes there are serious problems, like an affair with someone else, alcohol or drug dependence, and so on, which can result in divorce. But sometimes two people simply do not want to live together anymore and cannot get along well with each other. The most common psychological reactions on the decision about divorcing are worry, sleeplessness, nervousness, depression, different fears, anger or something else. Some people can start drinking, smoking, overeating or even having drugs. As a result, divorcing adults cannot do well at work and can lose their jobs, or even may need medical help.
Divorce
Introduction:
Divorce can be a traumatizing experience for the entire family, and the effects are especially felt by any children involved. Children in the stages of early childhood development are especially more vulnerable since it is a time of rapid change and learning.
Effects specifically on the young child:
A child may feel a sense of loss - separation from a parent can mean he lost not only his home, but his whole way of life. He can feel fearful about being left alone - if one parent can go, perhaps the other will do the same, angry at one or both parents for the relationship breakdown, worried about having caused the parental separation, rejected and insecure and torn between both parents. These feelings are often made worse by the fact that many children have to move home and sometimes school when parents separate, and most families in this situation come under some financial strain, even if they did not have money worries before. Even if the parental relationship had been very tense or violent, children may still have mixed feelings about the separation. Many children hold onto a wish that their parents may get back together.
Effects on family members:
Actually, the tensions and misunderstandings between the parents usually start long before the divorce, making the life of both man and woman really terrible. Sometimes there are serious problems, like an affair with someone else, alcohol or drug dependence, and so on, which can result in divorce. But sometimes two people simply do not want to live together anymore and cannot get along well with each other. The most common psychological reactions on the decision about divorcing are worry, sleeplessness, nervousness, depression, different fears, anger or something else. Some people can start drinking, smoking, overeating or even having drugs. As a result, divorcing adults cannot do well at work and can lose their jobs, or even may need medical help.
Bibliography: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (1998). Children and divorce. Retrieved February 7, 2000, from http://www.aacap.org/factsfam/divorce.htm Bienenfeld, Florence. My Mom and Dad are Getting a Divorce. St. Paul: EMC Corporation, 1980. Coontz. S. (1998). Divorcing reality: Other researchers question Wallerstein 's conclusions. Action Alliance for Children. Retrieved October 23, 2001, from http://www.aac4children.org./ Furstenberg, F. F. & A. Cherlin. 1991. Divided Families: What Happens to Children When Parents Part. Cambridge: Harvard University Press