The Impact of Divorce on Children Jena Graham Liberty University

Abstract
Even long after the divorce decree has been granted, children who have come to trust in truthfulness are more likely to want to work with their parents than against their parents. There are several facts and opinions about the impact of children through divorces. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. are affected as well. To some, this event devastates them. Some children feel forced into a relationship with the other family. It is hard living in a separate house hold. The rules are different. A lot of things affect the child’s ability to perform mentally, physically spiritually and emotionally.

The impression of children on divorce is an extreme and extensive topic. Divorce pushes the children to some extent unreasonable; it confuses the child on how the child is raised and how to live throughout life. In a study of children living in both intact families and divorced families, the research suggests that children whose parents are divorced are more likely to experience short- and long-term psychological problems not manifested in children from intact families. (Meltzer, S. (2011)). Often devastating effects result in home where the parental conflict level is high. Parental conflicts usually impede a child’s adjustment. Many children who experience parental conflicts over the long-term, suffer long-term effects. (Sarrazin, J., & Cyr, F. (2007). Researchers studied 19 parental alienation strategies in 118 adult children of divorce.
Information gathered through an anonymous and confidential computer survey. Findings: Correlation between self-esteem and higher rates of depression and insecure attachment styles, and alcohol abuse. (Baker, A. J. L., & Ben-Ami, N. 2011). If the parents don’t come to a mutual agreement, the child will be affected tremendously. Joint custody and split custody effects the child as well. Sometimes the judge’s decision doesn’t limit the decision the parents make for the child. The visitations times are affected, along with the rules of each household.
There are numerous areas that affect children. Physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally are some areas of how children are affected. Some parents don’t inform the school of the childs divorce, they expect the child to adapt in the environment. School can play a big part in helping a child set to the divorce. School offers a broader adult and peer support system. Physically children walk around looking sad, depressed, and have a loss of weight. These characteristics can cause a child not to prosper in life. Some children result to drugs and alcohol that has a negative physical influence later on in life. There are times that children find it hard to face reality, so they terminate themselves physically. There is a wonder if parents if realize the impression of the children doing their divorce development and the aftermath.
Improved or inferior children look to adults to help make sense of the world they live in. Awkwardly, from the child's vantage point much of what they are taught defies understanding. It is clear to the youngest children that what adults say is appropriate behavior bears little resemblance to what adults actually do. Children are profound eyewitnesses. If there parents commit betrayal, or become drug addicts the children see it. When the parents cheat, they not only have to cover it up from there mate, they have to cover it up from their children. Some parents may use bribery to cover their tracts. Living in the moment until time changes and they are caught starts the life time change events. Things will never be the same. “In this hypocritical social environment it is not surprising that those children who not only experience questionable adult behavior at a distance, but also close-up in their own families, are the children who are most at risk for growing up feeling alienated, angry and distrustful of the adult world”.(Jenny Lewis