The Aftermath of Divorce

The family is the basic unit of every given society. It is where the foundations and perspectives of life are nurtured and continuously develop. But what happens when everything turns into a failure? And the only remedy that is considered is divorce? What are the effects of divorce?

Divorce is the legal termination of marriage due to some considerable circumstances. It results to certain impacts on the couple and their children. On the couple, the effect of divorce ranges from various aspects. Generally, divorcing couple are often flabbergasted by the coverage of their inevitable losses – changes in lifestyle, future plans, a portion of one's identity, and perhaps a home, financial security, free access to children, and shared friendships.

On the other hand, children are the most helpless victims. To children, divorce process leads to severe stress. It changes the family structure. It also contributes to the increase of antisocial and aggressive behaviors. There are also social tags created to children who are products of divorced parents. For many, the massive losses create a feeling of worthlessness. The feelings of loss and disconnectedness are knotted with a troubling sense of failure and increasing feeling of mislaid self-worth. The conflicting emotions such as bitterness, resentment, and anger create more complex situations. Feelings of self-pity, sadness, and depression lead to total destruction of children’s future. Truly, divorce hurts the children more than their parents.

Divorce has had a dramatic impact on how people think about families and the lives of children. It seems fair to say that most people in the society believe that divorce has detrimental effects on the lives of every member of the family.

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References

Black, K. N. & Stevenson, M. R. (1996) How Divorce Affects Offspring: A

Research Approach. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Clapp, G. (2000) Divorce & New Beginnings: A Complete Guide to Recovery,

Solo Parenting, Co-Parenting, and Stepfamilies. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Crowder, K. & South, S. (1998). Children's Residential Mobility and Neighborhood Environment following Parental Divorce and Remarriage. Social Forces, 77(2), 669-67.

Riley, G. (1991) Divorce: An American Tradition. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.