The impact of divorce on human growth and development (childhood Research Paper

The impact of divorce on human growth and development (childhood through adulthood) - Research Paper Example Divorce is veritably a family stressor that cripples the family system. Frequently, it causes chronic anxiety and the affected family members will be hard pressed to defuse the unbearable tension. An adolescent, who is susceptible, could be seriously affected by the crisis in the family. This development permits the quarreling parents to concentrate on the pathology of the adolescent, thereby diverting attention from their private squabbles (Polacek, 2008, p. 10). The US experienced a drastic increase in the rate of divorce and separation, during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. During this time, there was an increase in the number of employed women. There was fluctuation in the relative contribution of spouses to the household income. Despite the enormous amount of research conducted in this area, there is little understanding with regard to the effect of economic resources on marital dissolution (Sanz, 2007, p. iv). The impact of parental divorce on the development of children has been studied for more than three decades. Several research studies have demonstrated an association between divorce and depression, diminished educational attainment, early assumption of high – risk conduct, and enhanced risk of suicidal behavior. In addition, marital discord is generally accompanied by depression. A number of family studies have shown that there is clear association between parental depression and negative child outcomes (Vousoura, et al., 2012, p. 718). In fact, Cummings and Davies have demonstrated a relationship between parental depression and depression in their children. In addition, parental depression has been seen to produce suicidal tendencies in children, anxiety disorders, dependence on intoxicants, somatic symptoms, disruptive behavior problems, insecure attachment, difficulty in controlling emotions, flawed psychosocial functioning, and problems related to attention and cognition (Vousoura, et al., 2012, p.