Does parents divorce affect child development skills and relationships ? (Essay Sample)

Does parents divorce affect child development skills and relationships ? Name of Student Institution Affiliation Table of Contents TOC \h \u \z 1. Introduction PAGEREF _heading=h.jhh9kdpsbjon \h 32. Literature Review PAGEREF _heading=h.q7j85vxy0ori \h 32.1 Theoretical Framework PAGEREF _heading=h.92l18zabxyl1 \h 32.2.1 Overview PAGEREF _heading=h.b7vw75wqz9lp \h 32.2.2 Risk And Resilience Theory PAGEREF _heading=h.32n58050zbeg \h 32.2.3 Cumulative Disadvantage Theory PAGEREF _heading=h.h09zo26x5a1 \h 42.2.1 Overview PAGEREF _heading=h.u0gbdwiy4mhb \h 42.2.2 Psychological And Sociological Problems PAGEREF _heading=h.7ctblrji4jgz \h 42.2.3 Financial Problems PAGEREF _heading=h.jx1bccf0r6r \h 52.3 The Impact Of Family Structure PAGEREF _heading=h.v4q1h2d2i9lq \h 52.3.1 Overview PAGEREF _heading=h.u3rmd87trztu \h 52.3.3 Extended Families PAGEREF _heading=h.qdzn92o96tto \h 62.4 Stages Of Child Development and the Impact Of Divorce PAGEREF _heading=h.fu7oxko71ywa \h 62.4.1 Effect Of Divorce On Preschoolers (0-9yrs) PAGEREF _heading=h.llv2e56081vp \h 62.4.2 Effect of Divorce On Primary School Children (6-11yrs) PAGEREF _heading=h.ro1mulp7hlfl \h 72.4.3 Effect Of Divorce On Adolescents (9-13yrs) PAGEREF _heading=h.54mb4cfugcqd \h 72.4.4 Effect Of Divorce On Young Adults (15-25yrs) PAGEREF _heading=h.xqrdq7svhadk \h 72.5 The Short-Term Consequences Of Parental Divorce PAGEREF _heading=h.d75tye4ppd19 \h 82.6 The Long-Term Consequences Of Parental Divorce PAGEREF _heading=h.ypi2oupnla7n \h 82.6.1 Overview PAGEREF _heading=h.9wnwdbalt7vo \h 82.6.2 The Long-Term Negative Consequences PAGEREF _heading=h.8vdprixuv37t \h 82.6.2.1 Mental health PAGEREF _heading=h.2pejwisj9bxh \h 82.6.2.2 Education PAGEREF _heading=h.1fm1x0rygnk0 \h 92.6.2.3 Poverty rate PAGEREF _heading=h.y4uovqqkpl3 \h 92.6.2.4 Violence and crime PAGEREF _heading=h.eyglrrlnc90x \h 92.6.3 Positive Long Term Consequences PAGEREF _heading=h.jsh3hf4eyh70 \h 92.7 New Approaches To Divorce With Children PAGEREF _heading=h.yulhiorvxind \h 102.7.1 The Grief Model PAGEREF _heading=h.myl899azq5yg \h 102.7.2 The Use Of Professional Therapy or Counseling PAGEREF _heading=h.z75x8tqhhk0g \h 103. Conclusion PAGEREF _heading=h.1k0o9ehwmaie \h 104. Research Question PAGEREF _heading=h.tg958kdakbxy \h 11References PAGEREF _heading=h.pf35bg8h9rbu \h 12 1 Introduction Divorce is an emotional and difficult process for children and parents. Parental divorce has been linked to negative effects both in the long term and the short term. In the United States, statistics show over one million divorces each year (U.S. Census Bureau). Out of these, nearly 50% of those divorced have at least one child under 18 (U.S. Census Bureau). The following literature review will explore whether or not parental divorce affects child development skills/relationships positively or negatively and what factors may contribute to these effects on children post-divorce in both long-term and short-term situations. 2 Literature Review 2.1 Theoretical Framework 2.2.1 Overview Theoretical framework refers to the model which explains a phenomenon. There are many different theories about the effect of divorce on children; some are more accepted than others. Some of the theories include risk and resilience theory and cumulative disadvantage theory. These two theories have contrasting ideas about the effects of divorce on children's development skills and relationships. 2.2.2 Risk And Resilience Theory Risk and resilience theory postulate that divorce is not an isolated event but rather a series of stressors that can trigger a complex set of reactions from children in response to their parent's divorce. Although divorced children are at a high risk of experiencing problems because they were exposed to divorce, some will be resilient and may not experience negative effects. This is based on three main factors: social support, family culture, and coping skills (Maurović et al., 2020). Children with supportive friends and family members are less likely to show behavioral problems than those without social support. Their family culture also determines the risk or resilience of a child's development. Family cultures are the values and beliefs that constitute the 'rules' of a household. Finally, how well children cope with divorce depends on their coping skills. Children who know how to calm themselves down during times of distress will usually do better emotionally than those who do not know self-soothing methods. 2.2.3 Cumulative Disadvantage Theory Cumulative disadvantage theory suggests that the disadvantages associated with being raised in a broken home begin accumulating early in life and continue into adulthood. Furthermore, Ward (2019 indicate that adverse childhood experiences predict future health problems later in life. Childhood adversities include physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglectful parenting, and parental substance abuse. Negative childhood experiences result in changes to brain circuitry, so these children become hypervigilant and overly sensitive to subsequent stress. During the divorce, children face various issues, including anxiety, anger, fear, and guilt, among other things. 2.2 The Causal Effects Of Parental Divorce 2.2.1 Overview A variety of factors causes parents' divorce. There is not one single event or circumstance that leads to a breakup but many contributing factors. But mainly, psychological and sociological conditions, financial may lead parents to decide to get divorced (Garriga & Pennoni, 2020). 2.2.2 Psychological And Sociological Problems Psychological and sociological problems include lack of communication with each other, lack of emotional support for each other and the child(ren), inability to cope with their roles as parents after the birth of children (parenting conflicts), and sexual dissatisfaction (especially if there is an affair). Moreover, children are more at risk if they witness domestic violence between parents before birth. In addition, some studies show that when mothers have a mental illness such as depression and anxiety disorder, it can stress family relationships and may cause the mother to neglect her child's needs which could lead to worse development skills in the future. 2.2.3 Financial Problems Financial problems may also lead to a broken marriage because this will affect the quality of life: such as living standards, access to education, and healthcare services. For example, the cost of raising a child in the United States has increased drastically in recent years due to inflationary pressures brought about by rapid population growth. Many families now struggle to afford proper housing and food daily, let alone send their children to school. Both parent cannot give their children any assistance at home with their struggles. They may feel stress from everyday jobs and find it difficult to balance work and family life, leaving their kids feeling neglected and affecting their development skills. Moreover, due to financial difficulties, some parents use divorce to attempt a new start so that they can live more comfortably financially by rearranging priorities such as focusing more on finding a better job or enrolling themselves in further education courses. 2.3 The Impact Of Family Structure 2.3.1 Overview The term family structure refers to the composition of a family or household. It includes family size, the children's upbringing, and the number of parents in the home. Types of family structures include nuclear, extended, and single-parent families (Anderson, 2014). The nuclear family is when a couple has children and lives together. This means the nuclear family has no other relatives living with them. Extended families include grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins who live with one or both parents. 2.2.2 Nuclear Family In the nuclear family, the effects of divorce are more fatal to the children. This is because they are the center of their world. They see divorce or separation as a disruption, disrupting the family dynamic. This is because they have trouble adjusting to the separation and are often not helped. Therefore, children with divorced parents will have many social problems in the future. They have difficulty adjusting to the separation and are usually not allowed in this process. They also tend to have behavior problems that reflect parental attitudes and behaviors. They have trouble with friend groups and age-appropriate activities. Sometimes they have difficulty being a child, and then when they are adults, they have problems being adults. This means they have trouble adjusting to the appropriate behavioral tendencies of their age. 2.3.3 Extended Families In an extended family, the children are not the center of attention. They have to share their parents with other family members. This means they only have a little time to spend with them. This is why they do not develop the same relationship with their parents and siblings because they cannot devote all their attention to them. Nonetheless, children living in extended families are more likely to feel like they are not needed or loved during the divorce process. They also need help maintaining connections with their family because of all the moving around. This can lead to social problems as they grow up and into adulthood. 2.4 Stages Of Child Development and the Impact Of Divorce 2.4.1 Effect Of Divorce On Preschoolers (0-9yrs) Preschoolers have a very different reaction to divorce than adolescents or adults. They may not understand what is happening and cannot comprehend why their parents are splitting up. They may feel guilty for causing the breakup, especially if one parent wanted to stay in the marriage. The preschooler might show their emotions by acting out, having temper tantrums, clinging to their primary caregiver, withdrawing from others, and refusing to play with other children. The preschooler might also start behaving like an infant aga...