The Negative Effects Of Divorce On Adults

When I was just eleven years old my parents decided to divorce. The news was devastating and difficult to handle. Experiencing firsthand what a child and family goes through, as well as seeing the aftermath, it is safe to say that divorce is not easy and is very damaging. As the rate of divorce continues to rise, more and more children become victims of marital conflict. As a child, watching a family fall apart is extremely damaging, as well as lonely. Some researchers would say that the effects of divorce are psychologically damaging, therefore making a huge impact on future decisions that children might make. But, divorce does not just have an effect on children, it also affects adults. Some effects of divorce on adults are the development

In the study done by Teresa Lopez, Victoria Iglesias, and Paula Garcia over parental alienation, it is mentioned that sometimes after divorce the mother can develop Medea complex, also known as Malicious Mother Syndrome (218). Also, in this article, the concept of the various ways that a parent can alienate their child is discussed. Ways such as “interrogating the child after visits, sharing personal information, interfering with child’s symbolic contact with [non-custodial] parent, hindering telephone contact…” are all proof that divorce takes its toll on adults mentally as well (Parental Alienation 227). Other forms of alienation can include the non-custodial parent speaking badly of the custodial parent or the custodial parent not allowing the non-custodial parent to partake in the process of major decision making (Parental Alienation 229). Although, this alienation affects the children as well as the parents, other studies have been done to show other affects that divorce has on adults. In one study, it was found that women’s standard of living decreased by about 73 percent just one year after divorce (Clarke-Stewart 67). Whereas the standard of living for men increase about 28-48 percent in just one year after divorce (Clarke-Stewart 68). Research has also shown that marital status has an effect on the psychological well-being of adults and

As many other people and researchers and articles have stated, divorce reform is the answer. The process of divorce needs to be slowed down, and post-divorce education, as well as, marriage counseling for the couple needs to be required. And if these routes still result in divorce, parenting classes as well as counseling for parents and children need to be required. In the newspaper article written by Beverely Willett it is stated that “waiting periods generally correlate to lower divorce rates”, knowing this information it should only make sense to form some type of law that enforces a waiting