Parental conflict often begins about two years before the separation. If conflict is present then and continues through the divorce, the harm to the child magnifies. High levels of parental conflict and poor parenting often appear at the same time. This is true with married couples and separated/divorced couples.

Prof McLanahan said the data showed that even a child in a stable single-parent household was likely to do worse on some measures than a child of a married couple. “Having two adults who co-operate to raise the child, who give time and money, means there are just more resources than one doing it,” she said.

Kids, divorce, and school success

• Keep the focus on the child.
• Make a plan — for homework, after-school activities, and college costs.
• Have consistent rules and provide support.
• Think of the other parent as your business partner.
• Figure out how your child’s time will be divided.
• Rethink the schedule as your child grows.

In families where there is a high level of conflict and animosity between parents, children are at a greater risk of developing emotional, social and behavioural problems, as well as difficulties with concentration and educational achievement.

Following their parents’ separation, children may regress, display anxiety and depressive symptoms, appear more irritable, demanding and noncompliant, and experience problems in social relationships and school performance (5).

Divorce when children are this age will mostly have the effect of disrupting their lives and routines, and they will struggle to understand why a parent is not present. These children may experience developmental delay or regression, increased irritability, and difficulty sleeping.

Trust issues The trust within a relationship is a major factor for children of divorce in their own relationships. The research showed that adult children of divorce tended to have a less positive attitude toward marriage and a lower commitment to maintaining romantic ties, which causes a lack of trust to build.

Factors that differentially affect male and female children of divorce. Considerable evidence suggests that marital conflict has a greater effect on boys than girls.

While both genders are at a higher risk to experience dependency issues after their parents’ divorce, boys are more likely to become severely dependent on such substances. WebMD claims that boys who go through divorce are at triple the risk in comparison to their peers who live with both biological parents.

Furthermore, in a meta-analysis of 37 studies of adults, Amato and Keith (1991a) found that white adults were affected more negatively by parental divorce than African Americans.

The Effects of Divorce on Teen Behavior Adolescents often become extremely anger at one or both parents. Adolescents may become less involved with school, responsibilities, and other activities. Grades will often drop and you may notice a marked increase in truancy.

For teens, divorce can be particularly difficult. Since teens are more capable and independent, parents sometimes lean on them to help out with younger siblings or handle more chores. Even though teens may be more emotionally savvy than their younger siblings, they are still not adult peers.

Young girls are affected by divorce in some different ways than young boys. Research shows that young girls tend to have some negative symptoms for up to a year, such as depression, anger, and psychological problems. For many divorced family situations, mothers have custody over their children.

Effects of Divorce on Children Children and adolescents of divorced parents have shown increased levels of depression, anxiety, and psychosomatic symptoms. During and after the separation process, adolescents are more likely to use and abuse substances, act out, and display behavioral problems.

People who undergo divorce face a variety of psychological issues including increased stress, lower life satisfaction, depression, increased medical visits, and an overall increase in mortality risk compared to those who remain married.

7 Tips for Telling Your Teenager You’re Getting a Divorce

1. Pick the right time.
2. You both need to be there.
3. Be honest.
4. Reassure them.
5. Give them the facts.
6. Don’t point fingers.
7. Validate your child’s feelings.

Divorce frequently contributes to depression, anxiety or substance abuse in one or both parents and may bring about difficulties in balancing work and child rearing. These problems can impair a parent’s ability to offer children stability and love when they are most in need.

Research has found the most common reasons people give for their divorce are lack of commitment, too much arguing, infidelity, marrying too young, unrealistic expectations, lack of equality in the relationship, lack of preparation for marriage, and abuse.

“What are potential consequences of a divorce after a long-term marriage?” Divorce after a long-term marriage commonly causes emotional difficulty, financial hardship, lost friendships, lost contact with children and grandchildren, and strained holidays.