Your research paper should be 8-10 pages, double-spaced, and formatted in MLA style.
It should include a cover page and a Works Cited page, which are not counted as part of
the length requirements.
Research Essay Draft:
The Psychological Effects of Divorce on the Entire Family
Divorce is a social construct that is intended to sever the legal bond of marriage in the eyes of the law and the government but this purpose neglects the emotional ramifications caused by the divorce. The effects consume lives and leaves no individual involved unscathed whether it be the people in the relationship or those who are surrounding the marriage. The most unpredictable and potentially devastating psychological are the effects on children and how they will react to having their lives altered by the separation of their parents' marriage leaving them now the product of a broken home and failed marriage. Numerous psychologists have dedicated the entirety of their lives and research to understanding and combating the potentially destructive effects that divorce can have on all individuals involved. The difficulty of handling the delicate situation that is a broken home is that it takes not only recognizing the short-term effects but also seeking to prevent extensive negative psychological ramifications. Children and adults alike are all victims of the potentially destructive psychological effects that come as a byproduct of divorce. In light of collected research it is undeniable that with divorce comes substantial psychological damage to the people involved but I propose that through understanding the short-term effects of divorce and how it effects all involved, the long-term effects can be combated through proper therapeutic means.
The first thing that is important to note is that divorce does not simply happen overnight, it is the end of a series of pervious difficult circumstances. A key component to combating divorce is recognizing the faults in the marriage that brought it to its breaking point. This is because divorce is the separation of a marriage and often the separation of a family unit. It is important to note that just because a marriage ends does not mean the family disappears, this idea is the origin of the idea of a broken family. Psychologists note that the issues that cause the divorce have a significant influence on the way that divorce will affect the individuals involved. The evidence of this is evident as a divorce causes by an emotional or physically abusive relationship will have stronger psychological effects as opposed to a separation caused my emotional detachment or a loss of passion. Martial conflict can be analyzed and recognized in order to properly understand not only the cause of the divorce but the immediate effects it can have on all people involved. Using information as it pertains to the marriage predivorce allows for a better understanding of how the divorce will affect the individuals involved.
A divorce is a negative situation from nearly every view point and the effects that it can have on the individuals can often be immediate as divorces are often unexpected. From the moment divorce is even mentioned in a marriage the psychological damage begins to fester in minds of all individuals involved in the situation due to the mix of emotion that come with divorce. Parents get angry, feel betrayed, or often helpless as they could have never imagined what was promised for forever could have faded away. Even for marriages that do not have to deal with custody battles divorce at its source is the final breaking point of an unresolved altercation that has now grown to the point which it has severed the vows that married that are often seen as sacred. When children are involved there is an additional confusion and fear that comes with the lake of understanding and guilt that comes with uncertain territory while developing and maturing. More than one million children experience parental divorce every year (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1998, Table 160), and about 40% of all children will experience parental divorce before reaching adulthood (Bumpass, 1990). (Amato). Do to the increase in the divorce rate throughout the world and especially in the United States kids are at an increased likelihood of being raised in a home that is plagued by divorce. As the divorce rate continues to rise, it becomes more important for psychologist to adapt strategies to help those effected.
A major reason divorce is so heavily studied and researched by psychologists is not only the sheer number of individuals and families effected by its effects but also the longevity of the potential psychological damages that are endured post-divorce. The most examined effect of divorce that is studied by psychologists is how the separation allows for a halting of emotional development, or a deterioration of self, often resulting in depression. The long term emotional effects often vary and are categorized by ages and genders of the individuals. Studies have shown that mothers will often receive more sympathy and attention form children than a father, particularly if the divorce happen while the children were young. Analyses are based on 8040 parent-child dyads obtained from a Dutch survey. Positive evidence is obtained for this hypothesis. Although fathers already receive less support from children then mothers while married, tis difference is larger when fathers are not married. (Kalmijs) Additionally, remarriage can have unforeseen, often detrimental, complications as it pertains to a child's psychological welfare. These are the way that psychologists approach studying psychological struggles post-divorce.
The way that a divorce effects the parents of children have a strong effect on how children will process divorce but studies have shown that men and woman process divorce in different ways. "People vary greatly in their reactions. Divorce benefits some individuals, leads others to experience temporary decrements in well-being, and forces others on a download trajectory from which they might never fully recover" (Amato). These issues have never been fully identified as exclusive to a single gender in a divorce, only that these conditions can last for the remainder of an individual's life. Often adults will seek to cope with the emotional struggles of divorce through remarriage but when kids are involved integrating a new and unknown person into the familiar infrastructure can not only be difficult but cause a whole new set of problems. An additional issue with remarriage is that studies have shown, "Fifty percent of marriages end in divorce. Sixty-seven percent of all second marriages end in divorce.", making the remarriage a fruitless attempt to cope with the initial divorce. Furthermore, the second marriage has a high potential to enhance any preexisting post-divorce psychological difficulties.
Most commonly in divorces the people that are viewed as the real victims are the children, as divorce changes their entire of the world around them. A large contributor to a child's development is the family unit, and divorce is most commonly to blame for shattering the stability of home. Further research into the correlation between divorce and a child's behavior have shown, "the negative effects of divorce on children have been greatly exaggerated. In the past, we read that children of divorce suffered from depression, failed in school, and got in trouble with the law." (Corcoran). The solution however is not remarriage is not the solution in many cases. Studies have shown "where divorce had more adverse effects for boys, remarriage was more disruptive for girls." (Hetherington). When catering to a child's mental state it is important to note that the parents' interactions with the children as well as with one another. Conflict in a marriage is often the major reason for divorce therefore the duration and magnitude of the conflict, before and after the divorce, are a factor in how a child will process the divorce as a whole. Children are still under the authority of their parents and have a relationship with them unlike any other, therefore the way that parents relate to each other and their kids have a tremendous effect.
When attempting to combat the psychological ramifications of divorce it is important to focus on the individuals that are plagued by the difficult situations. Divorce is uncertain, most circumstances consistently have negative effects, but rare occasions show partial positive results for the adults involved. It is shocking to say that anything positive could come from divorce but divorce in itself is an attempt to make peace in a colossal conflict that has devastated the marriage. Divorce allows for the parents to often be better parents and have a stronger connection with my children, simply because the relation was not successful as a marriage does not elevate the connection that is formed by being parents. The key to regulating the psychological effects of divorce is to take care of the individual to simply know oneself and their children. Though divorce has the potential to shatter the psyche of all individuals involved but it can be counteracted by properly regulating the ramifications of divorce.
Divorce is complicated and convoluted and has baffled and devastated many families as no one gets married with the intention of getting divorced. The effects of divorce are unpredictable, varying by the family and the individuals involved. The negative effects if divorce are preventable if treated properly, the majority of that responsibility falls upon the parents as it is there are the ones who are getting divorced. If divorce is not handled properly it has the potential to unravel children's psyche and derail there futures as there development as they have fallen victim to their parents conflicts. Though divorce is a daunting issue with no easy solution after completing my research I fully believe the difficulties that come with divorce can be regulated and children can lead a full life.
Works Cited
Amato, Paul R.; Keith, Bruce, Parental divorce and the well-being of children: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin
Cherlin, Andrew J; Furstenberg, Frank F, Jr, Longitudinal Studies of Effects of Divorce on Children in Great Britain and the United States
E. Mavis Hetherington Ph.D, Martha Cox Ph. D, Roger Cox Ph.D. Long-Term Effects of Divorce and Remarriage on the Adjustment of Children, Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry
Emery, Robert E., Interparental conflict and the children of discord and divorce. Psychological Bulletin
FRANK F. FURSTENBERG, JULIEN O. TEITLER, FRANK F. FURSTENBERG, Reconsidering the Effects of Marital Disruption, What Happens to Children of Divorce in Early Adulthood?, Journal of Family Issues
Kathleen O'Connell Corcoran, Psychological and Emotional Aspects of Divorce
Matthijs Kalmijn, Gender Differences in the Effects of Divorce, Widowhood and Remarriage on Intergenerational Support: Does Marriage Protect Fathers? , Oxford Academic
Paul R. Amato, The Consequences of Divorce for Adults and Children, Journal of Marriage and Family
Patrick Fagan, How Broken Families Rob Children of Their Chances for Future Prosperity, The Heritage Foundation
Yvette Stupart, PhD, Divorce: Emotional Impact and Steps to Recovery