There is a significant interdependent relationship between divorce as a form of family structure and the children’s behavior. According to Behere et al., the relationship between the parents highly affects the mental healthiness of a child (457). The researchers argue that there is a higher likelihood of readmission of a teenager in a mental hospital mainly because of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A split-up renders the family dissociation, and Behere et al. indicate that despite the intervention of step-families by providing family love and care, the youngster suffers from mental and psychological trauma (457). It is an approach spearheaded by the necessity to attain a social identity. Primarily, the break-up of a family disorients a child’s mental growth that mainly reflects clinical depression, physical abuse, and defiant disorder.
Short-term effect of Divorce on Children
A child’s healthy growth and development mainly depend on the exposed environmental properties. Lehrer and Son depict that a teenager’s well-being relies on the effectiveness of parenting (230). The social interactions within a family structure gear the child’s growth curve in an attempt to establish a social identity. Under the traditional spectrum, the health index of the adolescents is reflected through high school graduation grades, enrollment to college, unemployment, and teen fertility. According to Lehrer and Son, it is the moral obligation of the parents to mentor the children based on the appropriate behavior and social interactions (231). It is an initiative that fosters the mental health of the child. However, divorce is a phenomenon that, apart from enhancing the family’s splitting, causes a significant trauma that dynamically affects all family members’ mental and physical growth and development.
Children from family structures experiencing divorce demonstrate poor behavior and achievement across different mainframes such as academics. Lehrer and Son analyzed the impact of divorce on childhood experience and established that there is a profound negative impact (231). The researchers postulate that a child from a split-up family performs poorly in different platforms such as academic achievements, relationship-building, financial management, and the likelihood of suicidal thoughts even while at adulthood. Lehrer and Son stipulate that the transition from a traditional nuclear family structure is another factor that highly affects an individual’s mental and psychological stability (234). Further, the researchers indicated that the uncertainty becomes worse once the divorced parents join other relationships and partners. Therefore, instability is the causal effect of the negative child’s behavior encompassing physical abuse and disorders.
Long-term effect of Divorce on Children
A child treasures the memories shared with the family, and a traumatizing childhood experience affects the quality of interactions with other people. In most cases, the divorce renders a negative impact on the members of the family and particularly the teenagers due to their developmental phase. Behere et al. establish that despite the progression of a therapeutic environment through co-parenting, childhood trauma is an issue that affects the teen’s adulthood (458). However, Lehrer and Son stipulate that the impact of divorce on children is an issue that encapsulates the social class (236). According to the researchers, children from middle-class families experience a significant adverse effect regarding divorce issues at the adulthood stage. In this case, further research must concentrate on the influence of social classes on the behavioral response to relationship break-ups.
Consequently, divorce highly affects the children’s developmental curve mainly because of the significant transition from traditional family structure to other forms. A separation renders the dissociation of the family, and despite the intervention of step-families through family love and care, the youngster suffers from mental and psychological trauma. Parents and governmental institutions must align the therapeutic objectives with the necessity for an effective transformation and reduce the impact of relationship break-ups.
Works Cited
Behere, Aniruddh Prakash, et al. “Effects of Family Structure on Mental Health of Children: A Preliminary Study.” Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, vol. 39, no. 4, 2017, pp. 457–463.
Lehrer, Evelyn, and Yeon-jeong Son. “Women’s Age at First Marriage and Marital Instability in the United States: Differences by Race and Ethnicity.” Demographic Research, vol. 37, 2017, pp. 229–250.