Divorce is more common now than it ever has been in the past. What is most detrimental are the long-term effects that divorce has on families and children. Children who are raised in divorced or remarried families grow up to adulthood in a different culture from the child raised in an intact family. Research has shown that individuals from divorced families score significantly lower on a variety of tests including academic achievement, psychological adjustment, interpersonal relationships, and score higher in psychological depression (Amato, 2000). The scarring effects of parental divorce persists and can set in motion a chain of indirect stressful reactions and circumstances that affect an individual in their later life. An indicator of such stress in childhood is that its influence persists well into adulthood.
Economic hardship and academic achievement seemed to be interconnected when measuring the negative impact of divorce (Amato, 2000). A decline in economic resources might cause disruptive events such as moving to poorer neighborhoods, changing schools, and living on a smaller household income Divorce rates are higher among those with lower levels of household income, lower educational attainment, and those living in rented accommodations (Strohschein, 2005, p.1287).
References
Amato, P. (2000). The Consequences of Divorce for Adults and Children. Journal of Marriage and Family, (62), pp.1269, 1278-1281.
Strohschein, L. (2005). Parental Divorce and Child Mental Health Trajectories. Journal of Marriage and Family (67) pp. 1287-88.
