"The odds of developing an emotional disorder were increased for children where there had been a change in the number of parents between surveys, from two parents to one parent compared with children and young people in families that had two parents at both times."
It went on: "Children and young people in households of 'reconstituted' families, particularly where there were step-children, were more likely to develop conduct disorder as were those in families which had two parents at Time 1 and one parent at Time 2."
These findings may alarm many parents currently seeking divorce however, it should be noted that similar studies have found that children are often worse off in homes in which non-divorced parents have poor relations. Additionally, the adverse affects of divorce on children can be significantly diminished by certain behaviour from the parents. Responsible co-parenting is an essential ingredient to reduce the traumatic impact of divorce on children. The study also found that, "Children who were happy where they lived, had lots of friends or enjoyed activities outside school were less likely to become unhappy."
Divorce is never ideal but studies have found that responsible action by the parents can greatly reduce negative impact on their children.
When communication between co-parents often leads to conflict or miscommunication, using a tool like the OurFamilyWizard website can help to shield children from divorce conflict as well as create a platform for more effective, clear communication. Help move your family forward after divorce by creating an account for your family today.