Although research has shown that adolescents from divorced families are more likely than their peers to have academic, behavior, and psychological problems, the majority of adolescents who have experienced a divorce do not show any signs of these problems. What are the facts about divorce in America? • Approximately 50% of all marriages in America end in divorce. • 23% of families in America are single parent families with children under the age of 18. • Children from divorced families are more likely to have academic, behavioral, and psychological problems than children from non-divorced families. “As marriage has become a more optional, less permanent institution in contemporary America, children and adolescents are encountering stresses and adaptive challenges associated with their parents’ marital transitions.” E. Mavis Hetherington University of Virginia How will a divorce affect my relationship with my parents? • Research indicates that divorce can have a positive affect on family relationships because there is less conflict at home. • When an adult divorces he or she essentially loses the financial support of their partner; as a result, he or she must assume additional workloads in order to make end’s meet, thus the parent-child relationship may suffer because parental supervision and individual attention is at a minimum. • It has been documented that parental skills may diminish immediately following a divorce, but this change is only temporary: “A number of researchers have shown that a disequilibrium, including diminished parenting skills, occurs in the year following the divorce but that by two years after the divorce re-stabilization has occurred and parenting skills have improved” (Santrock 170). 1 • Research indicates that 25 percent of adolescents who have experienced a divorce become disengaged from their families compared to only 10 percent of adolescents from two parent homes (Santrock 171). 1 Santrock, John W. Adolescence. pp 147-81. 2003 How will a divorce affect my academic achievements? • Children who have experienced a divorce frequently have lower academic achievement than children from non-divorced families. (Wolchik 1874).2 • Children from divorced families are twice as likely to drop out of high school and are less likely to attend college than children from non-divorced families (Rodgers 48)3. • The academic problems associated with children from single-parent families, may have a direct correlation to the economical impact of divorce. For example, almost half of all single parent families live below the 100 percent poverty level. As the result of a divorce, a newly-single parent may have to move to a less-expensive neighborhood with a poor school system (Santrock 172). The ultimate result of this move is that many children from divorced families receive an inferior education to their peers from nondivorced families. 2 Wolchik, Sharlene. “Preventive Interactions for Children of Divorce.” Journal of American Medical Association. V288 n15. pp1874-8. 2002. 3 Rodgers, Kathleen B, and Rose, Hillary A. Personal, Family, and School Factors Related to Adolescents’ Academic Performance: A Comparison by Family Structure.” Marriage and Family Review. V33 n4. pp47-61. 2001. What other types of problems are associated with a divorce? Although the majority of adolescents in divorced families do not have these problems, adolescents from divorced families are more likely than adolescents from non-divorced families to: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. show externalized problems such as acting out and delinquency have internalized problems such as anxiety and depression be less socially responsible have less-competent intimate relationships become sexually active at an earlier age take drugs associate with antisocial peers have lower self-esteem (Santrock 170) If you are experiencing any of these problems or think that you may in the future, express your concerns with your parents or someone that you can trust. You should also consider contacting a family therapist. The American Association for Marriage and Family has a great website, AAMFT.org, which offers more information about divorce. From this website, you can also search for a qualified family therapist in your area. Keys to coping with a divorce: Communication: One of the most important things that someone who is dealing with a divorce can do is to open up the lines of communication with someone that they can trust. Telling someone how you feel about a situation can help to relieve your stress and help you deal with any internalized problems that you may be experiencing. It is important to communicate any problems that you are having as early as possible. This will make communication easier in the future and allow you to deal with potential problems as they arise instead of all at once. Stay Involved: In order to avoid disengaging from your family and peers as the result of a divorce, make an effort to stay involved. Talk to your parents about setting aside “family time.” This will assure that your family relationships remain strong after a divorce. You can also find support from extended family, friend’s families, or through extracurricular activities. The important thing is that you surround yourself with friends or family members who will encourage and support you and who genuinely care about you. If you maintain an active role in a supportive environment, you will find that you do not have to face your problems alone. Plan Ahead: Many children from divorced families receive inferior educations to children from a two parent household because they have fewer financial resources. Therefore, it is important to start planning ahead for your secondary education. There are many scholarship opportunities for children of low income households, but you must take the initiative to claim them. Search for “low income scholarships” at Google.com and you will discover an abundance of private and public scholarship opportunities. Learn More: If you are interested in learning more about the effects of divorce, you can visit the American Psychological Association at APA.org. From this website, you can reach current news releases and professional journal articles that discuss the different aspects of divorce in more detail. This site also includes a section on recommended books for parents and children who are dealing with a divorce. This webpage was created by: Ben Beary Undergraduate Student English Education Northern Illinois University This webpage was evaluated by: J. Elizabeth Miller, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Family and Child Studies School of Family, Consumer, and Nutrition Sciences Northern Illinois University Many thanks to Dr. Miller for her involvement in this project.