Contrary to previous belief, a study has found that children of divorce are likelier than others to suffer harmful consequences and difficulties in their lives, regardless if the separation is cordial or not. An article on the subject says that:
The study, published in the academic journal Family Relations, said that children of divorced parents are more likely than others to suffer ‘external’ symptoms such as behaviour problems or drug abuse, more likely to have ‘internal’ difficulties like anxiety or depression, and more likely to do badly at school.
But the researchers, headed by Dr Jonathon Beckmeyer of Indiana University, found that these children’s problems were no worse if their parents continued to row and bicker with each other after the divorce.
The study said ‘despite the expectation that children fare better’ if their divorced parents develop a co-operative relationship, the behaviour of children as assessed by their parents ‘did not significantly differ’ between the friendly and the fighting groups of divorcees.
These findings make it clear that there is rarely any “good divorce” as children still suffer negative consequences, anyway. This is actually not surprising because, as most people who have experienced divorce—either as one of the couples or as the child of the divorcing couple— can attest to, the event can be so traumatic for all involved, spelling drastic financial, emotional, and personal shifts for a family.
There are valid instances wherein divorce is the best solution, such as when there is emotional and physical abuse in the relationship. Outside such grave situations, however, many couples can be blinded by crisis, opting for a separation instead of working together to create a more fruitful union that benefits them and their family. Going for couples counseling in San Antonio can inject new hope into marriages that still contain loving and willing partners, who only need guidance and a fresh perspective, so they can continue handling life’s challenges together.
More often than not, divorce is a painful and stressful event that can have lasting consequences on families, especially on the children who may find it difficult to make sense of the fact that their parents are not going to be together anymore. A compassionate and skillful counselor can provide the necessary intervention to lead married couples towards the path to healing, especially when therapy is based on a solid scientific foundation, like what Sherwood Couples Counseling provides its clients.
The decision to undergo marriage counseling for San Antonio couples can be the catalyst towards a stronger and more meaningful bond for couples who want to go the distance for their partners and loved ones.
(Source: Amicable divorce ‘is just as damaging for children’: Impact of a split on youngsters is same if couple remain friends or not, The Daily Mail, September 3, 2014)