Children of Divorce: An Experiment

Divorce in the United States seems to be inevitable. The divorce rate currently stands slightly above 50%, causing a million new children each year to be affected by a broken home (Brodkin, 1995, p. 30). Estimates show that 20-50% of these children will suffer long-term trauma, often because they do not receive the support they need from their preoccupied parents (Jenish, 1994, p. 38). Children of divorced parents are subjected to tremendous stress and are forced to find some means to cope with their feelings. My research involves the negative effects divorce has on children and the methods they use to cope, as well as a look at what families, teachers, counselors and law makers can do, and what many have done, to help these children avoid harmful suffering. 

I would like to begin by noting that convincing people to avoid divorce is not always the answer. In fact, many children are better of dealing with a divorce than having to face parents who are perhaps abusive to their children or to each other. Children are not better off remaining in a home full of hate, anger and hostility. Family law Professor Nick Bala from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario notes that in marriages rife with conflict, children may actually be better off dealing with divorce (Jenish, 1994, p. 38). Another point to address is that not all children are negatively affected by their parent’s divorce. An Angus Reid youth survey given to children of divorce shows that 80% of respondents said their parents marital breakup had either a positive impact or no effect on their education, personality, outlook on life and desire to get married. Bala does add, “In general, it is a negative experience. Some children, for reasons we don’t understand, are more resilient than others” (Jenish, 1994, p. 38).