What Are The Effects Of Divorce On A Child?

What are the Effects of a Divorce on a Child?

Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the ending of a marriage before the death of either spouse. It can be contrasted with an annulment, which is a declaration that a marriage is void, though the effects of marriage may be recognized in such unions, such as spousal support or alimony, child custody, child support, and distribution of property.

In many developed countries, divorce rates increased notably during the twentieth century. Among the states in which divorce has become common are the United States, Canada, South Korea, and members of the European Union, with the exception of Malta, where all civil marriages are for life because civil divorce is banned. In addition, acceptance of the single parent family has resulted in many women deciding to have children outside marriage, as there is little remaining social scar attached to unwed mothers in some societies. Japan retains a notably lower divorce rate, though it has increased in recent years.

No parent wishes for their children to experience the effects of a divorce. Unfortunately, divorce is all too familiar in today's society. The negative effects of divorce on children can often be seen well into the child's future, many times even in the way a child of divorce deals with his/her own adult relationships. The reality is that most children do not recover quickly from divorce, and many children suffer from effects of divorce for years. Many divorced parents do raise healthy, bright, and well adjusted children, but, on average, children of divorce, or those born into a single parent family do much more poorly in many areas. Most children of divorce experience at least one year of dire poverty. Some also experience problems in school, such as lower grades, being held back, and even dropping out. They are at a higher risk of having poor health, substance abuse, mental health issues, criminal behavior, and early sexual activity. Living with a step parent or a parent's unmarried partner automatically puts the child at higher risk for child abuse. The child may feel a loss due to the absence of a parent and is also likely to become divorced themselves someday.

Divorce is almost always stressful for children. Most children do not want their parents to separate, unless the marriage was full of intense conflict and anger or other sources of misery not suitable for children. Divorce also can strain parent-child relationships, lead to lost contact with one parent, create economic problems, and increase conflict between parents. For all these reasons, most children have a hard time during the divorce transition. How long the transition