Negative Impacts of Divorce

THE LASTING NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF DIVORCE

Varying Negative Impacts of Divorce and Their Lasting Effects on Children

Ashley Garrett
Sociology 1301
Professor Henderson
November 27, 2010

Varying Negative Impacts of Divorce and Their Lasting Effects on Children
Countless research studies have been conducted on divorce for example, California family law and the no-fault divorce law. Ironically there was no consideration on how it would have a negative lasting impact on children. Judith Wallerstein (2002) suggest that “It's a major part of history that shows how little we consider the impact of so much of legislation and so much of social change on the family and especially on children, who unfortunately don't vote”(para1). In order to understand how divorces can have a lasting negative impact on children it should be studied focusing on how divorce makes children insecure, how children can feel afraid of loss, and the effect of their childhood. This paper examines Wallersteins’ research on the negative emotional effects on the children of the married couple.
The marital relationship, or in today’s society, the lack thereof, is the first relationship that a child witnesses. At home is where a child learns manners, most basic beliefs, and of course, first lessons in love. Drawing on common phrases such as “A father is his daughter’s first boyfriend” to the most recent psychological studies, it has been proven that in the home is where a child has their first account of any type of “man-woman” relationship.   By witnessing the relationship his or hers between   parents, a child will gain an idea of what he or she wants, or does not want, out of their own relationship. Although studies have also shown that some women follow in the cycle of choosing physically or verbally abusive mates, there is also a likely hood of a child raised in that same type of family environment deciding to break the cycle of abuse within their own personal adult relationships.   But... [continues]

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