Increase in U.S. Divorce Rate

The divorce rate per 1,000 persons of marriageable age in the United States increased from 1.6 in 1920 to 5.3 in 1981. Since 1981, the rate has declined slightly, reaching 4.8 in 1988. Considered in another context, there was one divorce for every 7.5 marriages in the United States in 1920, while there was one divorce for every two marriages in 1981. Again, since 1981, the situation has improved somewhat, and in 1988, there was one divorce for every 2.02 marriages (U.S. National Center for Health Statistics [USNCHS], 1989).

A great deal of misery lies behind such statistics for all parties concerned with divorces, and a great deal of societal cost is also involved. Both misery and cost are applicable to those victims of divorce who have the least control over the situation. These victims are the minor children of the divorce partners.

The proposed study will examine some of the effects of divorce on some of the minor children of divorce partners. The study population will be comprised of the school-aged children of divorce partners.

An unstable family life, an absence of effective parental involvement, and economic deprivation are but a few of the factors affecting the children of divorce partners. Academic performance, cognitive functioning, social development, and physical and psychological security are but a few of the aspects of a child's life which may be adversely affected by divorce. The effects of divorce on the school-aged ch

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e. Much of the theory reported in the literature holds that most persons can adjust to marital problems, and through such adjustments, can overcome the risk of divorce. The researchers contended that this theoretical assumption has not been adequately tested. Thus, while not formulating specific hypotheses, they did test the assumption through the testing of the two models - the adjustment and the perpetual problem. The perceptual problems model was found to have greater applicability in explaining the timing of divorce than the adjustment model. This finding conflicts with most theory reported in the literature. The finding is significant with respect to the purpose of the proposed research study, however, because it indicates that society cannot count on the efficacy of adjustment therapy to preclude divorce where school-aged children are present. In the study of the effect of divorce on school-aged children, Forehand, McCombs, Long, and Brody (1988) found that continued conflict between the divorce partners had an adverse effect on school-aged children in the contexts of social development, cognitive functioning, and the ability to externalize. Saayman, and Saayman (1988-1989) found that divorce mediation in family c

Category: Psychology - I