PSY 306 Research Methods in Clinical Psychology

Introduction

Divorce is affecting the mind of every family member especially children they find it a very difficult time. When the parent of any child got divorced their child go through a difficult time. However, it is not decided that all child will get the same kind of emotion their felling may vary. For instance, some child reacts naturally and understand the situation, however, some child may find it hard and may struggle with the transition. The impact of divorce is not the same for all age group of people like children may have different feeling and adults may have different.

However, it has been found that child with of age group 6 to 12 face it very difficult and they struggle more than any other (Rappaport, 2013). The following discussion will be about the effect of divorce on children. In this discussion, it will be analyzed that how the divorce is impacting the life of a child that means how the career performance, interest in society, health, and behavior are being changed due to divorce. Moreover, in the discussion, the possible solution will also be included and some recommendation will be given that what kind of role society and parents can play in order to reduce the divorce problem. For this research, the data collection method will be secondary all the data will be collected from peer-reviewed articles or higher authorized website.

The effect of divorce on children

The effect of divorce can be seen in every aspect of the life of children. However, some very common effects are bad performance in school, Divorce which is the time of stress for all loved ones. Children can become overwhelmed and frustrated as they attempt to comprehend the shifting dynamics of the family. A few of the impact of divorce on children can be observed in their academic success due to this disruption of their everyday attention. Children who are overwhelmed are more chances to be focused to concentrate on their schoolwork. Moreover, it has been seen that if a parent of any child takes divorce, then they live separately and children will have to leave with one of them, therefore, it has more chance that the school of children will be changed it may be due to financial issue or it is also possible that the children will be shifted in other schools (Kleinsorge, & Covitz, 2012).

Therefore, they do not feel comfortable in a new school it takes time and their study will be disturbed due to the new environment. Furthermore, children are also like to lose their interest in society, according to research, it has been shown that divorce can have a psychological impact on children.  Such children whose parents got divorced can find it difficult to relate to others and have fewer social connections (Fagan, & Churchill, 2012). Children will feel nervous and ask if their parent is the one who has been through a divorce. The main reason for this may be bullying, in most cases, it has been observed that children face the problem of bullying in school or in society and they become coward and introvert.

Similarly, there are few more negative consequences of divorce on the nature of children. For instance, they become emotionally sensitive, divorce brings are responsible to develop several types of feelings in a child, such as the emotion of losing someone. Since the divorce happened between their parent and the problem may be between them. However, children become the victim of losing the love of one of them. Felling of anger and irritation, if the children are close to any of them let suppose the children are close to their mother and they see her in trouble then that situation make them angry or irritated. When kids are confused and unsure how to react to the effects of divorce, they can become irritable or violent.

Their rage may be aimed at a variety of alleged sources. Children who are going through a divorce may become enraged at their parents, themselves, relatives, and others. While the rage of many children dissipates within a few weeks, it is necessary to be mindful that it could be a lasting impact on the parental divorce if it lasts. Children may also develop felling of guilt because in some cases they become the reason for divorce or children may think that he is responsible for the divorce however the reality may be different. Children also ask whether their parents are divorcing. They'll search for explanations, these emotions of children are a typical side effect of divorce on teenagers, but they may often contribute to a slew of other problems. Guilt raises blood pressure and may trigger depression, stress, as well as other illnesses. Giving a child background and counselling to make them appreciate their part in a divorce will help them feel less guilty (Anderson, 2014).

Health issue

Health is a very important aspect of human life and divorce can affect the health of children. As the children face mentally disturbed their physical health also become bad. The children whose parents have been separated they have found facing more health problem. Separation may cause a child to have an attachment disorder, that usually goes away in a few months. Nonetheless, reports show that children with separated parents have higher levels of anxiety. A child's grief can be exacerbated by the distress and heartbreak induced by their parents' breakup (Garoo, 2020).

Furthermore, some child has to face the health issue because of the changes in the eating pattern. For instance, previously children could have lived in a different city and due to divorce, they might have to relocate to the new place and the environment of the new place is completely opposite to the previous one then children may have to face a health issue. Depression is a serious issue, and children who experience divorce are more likely to be depressed and retreat socially. Divorce, according to researchers, may be a causal factor in instances of bipolar disorder in adolescents (Familymeans, 2021).

The children who have experienced divorce have more chance of being engaged in risky behavior, for instance, those kinds of children become involved in sexual activity at an early age. Since it has a higher possibility that the parent who got a divorce will be involved in consuming alcohol and marijuana due to depression. Therefore, their child also takes participate in such activities at an early age. A research was published in the years 2010 and it has been shown that the child whose parents become separated before the child was 5 years old or younger than that in such case children become sexually active before the age of 16. Especially if the child has been separated from their father, then is the possibility is higher because they have no one who can guide them.

Furthermore, it has been also observed that the child whose parents take divorce are facing difficulty in a relationship (Donahey, 2018). They are also at higher risk of getting a divorce. Children's adjustment to a breakup is heavily influenced by their parents. Children have been found to be more distressed while their parents are in a state of intense confrontation. Children's behavior disorders have been related to overt animosities, such as screaming and abusing one another. Minor tension, on the other hand, will exacerbate a child's discomfort. Get psychological advice if they are having trouble co-parenting with their ex-spouse. It is inappropriate to ask children to pick which parent they want or to offer them messages to send to other parents. Children who feel stuck in the midst of something are more likely to suffer from stress and anxiety.

When opposed to those who stay married, persons who separate experience a host of psychological problems, including greater tension, lower personal satisfaction, depression, increased hospital visits, and an overall rise in mortality risk. There's still the divorce procedure to consider, in addition to sacrificing the perks of a successful union, which can serve as a shield against life's regular stresses (Morin, 2021). Divorce may be a lengthy and drawn-out court journey including reciprocal blame-casting and being required to testify about all of the more heinous aspects of whether a marriage failed, depending on where individuals reside and the individual situations.

When you factor in the stress of child-custody fights, the divorce procedure can be a disaster for certain families. Another aspect of divorce's relational effect is social orientation, or the moral desire to look after someone. Any married people derive a large part of the sense of identity from their relationship status and self-identification as partners or family with a sense of duty for their spouses or children. This is particularly common in more conservative societies where marriage and families are valued highly (Smith, 2018). As a consequence, going through a divorce will also cause individuals to adjust their whole sense of self, making the experience much more difficult (Hetherington, Arasteh, 2014). Moreover, it has been found in the study that those couples who are living together for more than 10 years and getting divorced faced more difficulties.

Overall life satisfaction of such people become not too good.  Is divorce, on the other hand, still going to be worse for the parties involved? Following a breakup, not everybody would be worse off. If anything, the likelihood of a bad result seems to differ based on how much individuals survive after divorce and what family life was like until the pair agreed to split up (Vezzetti, 2016). While the majority of study into the effects of divorce has concentrated on social causes that can contribute to negative consequences, studies exploring why certain families are often well off after divorce are not quite as typical. As predicted, happiness levels after divorce were inversely proportional to the perceived nature of the relationship. Women who recorded bad marriages fared much better in terms of life satisfaction after divorce, while girls were reported greater marriages fared much worse (Legalserviceindia, 2021).

Recommendation for protecting child.

In order to reduce the negative consequences, parents can do some favor for the children such as if the children are enough capable to understand the situation, then they should talk to children and discussion of the problem is needed. Parents can openly talk to the children and make them realize that separation could be the best possible solution for all of them and after that, they can ask for the opinion of a child to ensure the child that their opinion is valuable. Parents may help the children maintain clear lines of communication by allowing them to confide in and share their feelings (Wynns, 2021). If a child expresses disappointment about the divorce, in such case parents might respond with something like, "So, the separation makes you mad" or "Tell me all about that." Inquiring about a child's feelings may often lead to a conversation about delicate thoughts or concerns. Parents can empower their child to understand their worries and doubts when learning about their own emotions.

A mom, for instance, they can tell regarding a divorce, that "he is also saddened by the divorce. however, he still understands that it is the best thing to do for the better future of their family and if they will no longer exist together, they will both love and feel about you." This allows parents to talk about their own emotions, provide reassurance, and justify that divorce is the best option for them (Blatt, 2018). Children, especially younger ones, can need repeated exposure to the same word. While any family should anticipate the occasional fight between parents, growing up in a battleground of constant animosity and unfinished tension can be a hard burden for a kid (Healthline, 2021).

Screaming, battling, arguing, or abuse may render children anxious and fearful. Open disagreement between parents sets a poor precedent for their children, who are also learning how to develop their own relationships. Children whose parents are irritable and hostile are far more probable to have mental and behavioral disorders that last well into adulthood. Speaking with a mediator or divorce advisor will assist families in airing their complaints and hurts in a manner that is not harmful to their baby. Even if it's tough, engaging together in this manner can protect children from the harm that comes from bitterness and rage (Kidshealth, 2021).

Furthermore, it is also important that the children should feel that their opinion matters for their parents and that will be taken seriously. Assist them in putting their emotions into sentences. Kids' actions will also reveal whether or not they are depressed or angry. parents might say: "It seems that you are now depressed. If you have any idea what's made you so sad?" And if it's tough for you to understand what they're doing, be a strong listener. Justify their emotions. parents can say that "he knows they are sad right now," or "he understands it is hard and lonely without dad here," reassures children that their emotions are true. Provide assistance. "What do they think would make them feel better?" parent may inquire. they may recommend a few options, such as being together, taking a stroll, or holding a beloved stuffed toy if they are unable to identify anything (Vitelli, 2015).

Younger children can enjoy an invitation to call daddy or draw a photo to send to mommy as she returns home at the end of the day. Moreover, it is also important for the parent to keep themselves healthy, as the divorce may push them into a depressive state and that may result in becoming ill. In such case, children will face difficulty or if they would have to care for their parent then children may curse to divorce. Therefore, parents are much required to find a way of managing their stress and it can be done by making ensure that they are caring for their own basic needs. They will have to promise themselves that they will be in the best shape for the betterment of their kids (Marripedia, 2021). Similarly, parents can keep the details in privacy they should take care of when they are talking to their friends especially if their children are nearby and listening to their conversation.

In such a situation, a parent should try to keep their anger feeling with themselves and not becoming rude or using any abusive words for their partners. Similarly, society can also play an aspect role for the child they can help a child by making sure that child is comfortable in their society (Rtor, 2019). Like no other child or their society are involved in bullying the child. It has been also seen that other parents do not let their child become friend with such children whose parents got a divorce. Therefore, society should not do this kind of discrimination.

Conclusion

From the above finding it can be concluded that divorce is impacting on the lifestyle of every family member. Similarly, the impact of divorce can also be seen on child such as poor performance in study and play, their health may be impacted child may be mentally or physically ill. However, parent and society can help the child to reduce this problem they can be supportive.

References

Anderson, J. (2014). The impact of family structure on the health of children: Effects of divorce. The Linacre Quarterly, 81(4), 378-387.

Blatt, S. (2018). Divorce and Children. https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-in/home/children-s-health-issues/social-issues-affecting-children-and-their-families/divorce-and-children

Donahey, K. (2018). Effects of divorce on children: The importance of intervention. Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology, 13(1), 3.

Fagan, P. F., & Churchill, A. (2012). The effects of divorce on children. Marri Research, 1, 1-48.

Familymeans. (2021). What Are the Effects of Divorce on Children? https://www.familymeans.org/effects-of-divorce-on-children.html

Garoo, R. (2020). 10 Negative Effects Of Divorce On Children And Ways To Mitigate Them. https://www.momjunction.com/articles/side-effects-divorced-parents-children_0022338/

Healthline, 2021). What’s the Hardest Age for Children to See Their Parents Split?. https://www.healthline.com/health/childrens-health/worst-age-for-divorce-for-children

Hetherington, E. M., & Arasteh, J. D. (Eds.). (2014). Impact of divorce, single parenting and Stepparenting on children: A case study of visual Agnosia. Psychology press.

Kidshealth. (2021). Helping Your Child Through a Divorce. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/help-child-divorce.html

Kleinsorge, C., & Covitz, L. M. (2012). Impact of divorce on children: developmental considerations. Pediatrics in review, 33(4), 147-54.

Legalserviceindia, (2021). Impact Of Divorce On Children. http://www.legalserviceindia.com/legal/article-2132-impact-of-divorce-on-children.html#:~:text=Child's%20Behaviour%20Associated%20with%20Divorce&text=In%20socioeconomic%20attainments%2C%20children%20who,physiological%20behaviour%20of%20the%20child.

Marripedia. (2021). Effects of Divorce on Children's Health. http://www.marripedia.org/effects_of_divorce_on_children_s_health

Morin, A. (2021). The Psychological Effects of Divorce on Children. https://www.verywellfamily.com/psychological-effects-of-divorce-on-kids-4140170

Pedro-Carroll, J. (2020). How Parents Can Help Children Cope With Separation/Divorce. https://www.child-encyclopedia.com/divorce-and-separation/according-experts/how-parents-can-help-children-cope-separationdivorce

Rappaport, S. R. (2013). Deconstructing the impact of divorce on children. Fam. LQ, 47, 353.

Rtor. (2019). How Parents’ Divorce Impacts Children’s Mental Health.  https://www.rtor.org/2019/08/28/how-divorce-impacts-childrens-mental-health/

Smith, A. (2018). The impact of divorce on children.

Vezzetti, V. C. (2016). New approaches to divorce with children: A problem of public health. Health psychology open, 3(2), 2055102916678105.

Vitelli, R. (2015). Life After Divorce.

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