Divorce Quick Facts
When divorces started occurring in the world.
What is they are as old as marriages (Cohen, 2021 pg. 364).
The most common short term outcome children may experience following divorce.
What is short term emotional or behavioral reactions (Cohen, 2021 pg. 384).
There may also be permanent emotional changes that occur due to the parents divorce (Cohen, 2021 pg. 384).
Divorce limits what for a child's future.
Some interpersonal behavioral skills that could be damaged include the ability to compromise, conflict resolution, and the ability to maintain long term relationships.
Benefit of parents divorcing for the older child.
What is a sense of relief due to being aware of the unhappiness of the marriage (Cohen, 2021 pg. 384).
Although it is a time of uncertainty and confusion, older children have said to feel some sense of relief with knowing the constant arguing and fighting is over.
In my experience, I did feel some sense of relief mixed with my sadness, because I felt as though I no longer had to hold back the secrets that my father had asked me to keep from my mother.
Political group that believes divorce should be more difficult to obtain.
What is people with more conservative political views (Cohen, 2021 pg. 386).
How children might feel when the parents relationship has high conflict levels in divorce.
What is children may experience difficulty feeling emotionally close to either parents without feelings of disloyalty or betrayal towards another (Reuven-Krispin et al., 2020 pg. 461).
This often can lead to feeling the need to side with one parent and emotionally detaching from the other.
As a child, I remember when my parents divorced I felt as though I needed to pick one side because my parents were constantly in battle with each other. It was very emotionally scarring and draining, when I loved them both so much.
Couple with the highest likelihood of divorce.
What is couples where both partners experienced parental divorce (Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist et al., 2021 pg. 2230).
This is followed by couples where only one partner experienced parental divorce (Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist et al., 2021 pg. 2230). According to Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist et al. (2021, pg. 2230), if one partners has divorced parents there is a 28%-35% increase in the likelihood of divorce. If both partners parents are divorced, the risk jumps up to 70%.
Living with the mother and still having contact with the father helps a child.
What is children are better psychologically, behaviorally, and academically when both parties remain involved (Cohen, 2021 pg. 385).
The estimated number of divorces in the United States as of 2018.
What is 1 million (Cohen, 2021 pg. 365).
Effect of lessened contact with father after divorce.
What is lowered young adult well being, negative relationship attitudes, lower reported relationship quality, and a higher risk for psychopathology (Smith-Etxeberria & Eceiza, 2021 pg. 3).
Adult child's relationship with parent after divorce.
What is typically less contact with parents and less emotional support (Smith-Etxeberria & Eceiza, 2021 pg. 2).
Additionally, these adults are more likely to describe their relationship with the parents in a negative way. This has been associated with lower wellbeing in young adulthood (Smith-Etxeberria & Eceiza, 2021 pg. 3).
Benefit of father being absent from child's life.
What is children can benefit from a strong bond with the mother because of no conflict in loyalties to each parent (Reuven-Krispin et al., 2020 pg. 462).
While trying to have a close relationship with both parents can be beneficial, it also runs the risk of the child feeling divided or even disloyal to one parent.
After my father decided to cut ties with my family, I remember a feeling of abandonment and hurt. As the years went on, though, it only strengthened my relationship with my mother and my sister and I believe that we are better people today because of that experience.
The two racial-ethnic groups with the highest divorce rates in the United States.
What is African Americans and American Indians (Cohen, 2021 pg. 371).
On the other hand, Asian and Pacific Islanders have the lowest divorce rates (Cohen, 2021 pg. 371).
Effect on children that seeing parental conflict might cause.
What is feelings of being unlovable or unworthy of love (Smith-Etxeberria & Eceiza, 2021 pg. 4).
This might also lead to them seeing other individuals in their life as undependable and uncaring, which can consequently cause a loss of close friends and family (Smith-Etxeberria & Eceiza, 2021 pg. 4).
Imagine being a child, and the two individuals you looked up to the most in the world decided they did not want to be a part of each others lives anymore. This, in turn, would leave you, almost stuck in the middle. Although you know deep in your heart that your parents love you, it can be extremely hard to think that do since they are tearing your family apart in your eyes, and your world is coming crashing down around you.
What adult children report when they have to observe frequent, intense conflicts between parents.
What is they report lower trust levels, poorer communication, and alienation with both parents (Smith-Etxeberria & Eceiza, 2021 pg. 12).
Divorce can be better for the child because...
What is children whose parents are in a highly conflicted marriage are likely to have feelings of being "caught in the middle," as though they are always having to pick a side (Smith-Etxeberria & Eceiza, 2021 pg. 4).
The time period known as the "divorce revolution."
What is the years 1960-1980.
During this time there was a large increase in divorce rates, which people credit to the liberalization of family law. This allowed for less complicated divorces (Cohen, 2021 pg. 372).
The stressful aspects of the divorce process for children include...
What is less parental time and energy from the parent with primary custody.
What is loss of contact with one parent for periods of time.
What is having to witness parental conflicts, or even being involved in them.
What is having to move, changing schools, and changes in financial situations.
(Cohen, 2021 pg. 384).
Increases the risk for an adult child to divorce.
What is their parents divorcing, marrying at an early age, and having divorced previously (Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist et al., 2021 pg. 2224).
The importance of teens and stepparents having a relationship.
What is teens are more likely feel a sense of family belonging if they have a relationship with their stepparents (Cohen, 2021 pg. 390).
Although my mom and her boyfriend are not married, and instead have cohabited for the past 10 years, I still consider him my stepdad. We are not related by blood, or even legally, but he makes me feel like I belong in the family and has always taken care of me as if I were one of his own children.