Divorce

Approximately 40 percent of the children in the United States
experience a parental divorce. Children of divorce become more
vulnerable to developing a wide variety of social, behavioral,
emotional and academic problems.

Children whose parents divorce are at greater risk for developing
problems with: (1) angry and aggressive behavior; (2) sadness, low self-esteem and depression; (3) impaired academic performance; (4) trouble with intimate relationships in adolescence and adulthood.

While nearly all children struggle with conflicts and upset feelings for the first two years after their parents separate, 50 to 70 percent are able to adjust to their parents’ divorce. As substantial number of children (30 to 50 percent) however, continue to experience disruptions in their emotional development.

Children ages 6 to 8 who are experiencing undue distress related to a parental divorce often exhibit sadness, depressive reactions, anger, general anxiety, fear and loss of developmental accomplishments. Children ages 9 to 12 who are experiencing distress often exhibit anger, somatic complaints and social withdrawal. Signs of distress in adolescents include anger, depression, somatic complaints, substance abuse decrease in academic performance, suspension from school, precocious/promiscuous sexual behavior, trouble with the law, and running away from home.

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