Divorce and single parent families

Whilst both Popenoe (1993) and McClanahan document and lament the decline of the 'healthy family setting with Popenoe (1993) insisting that children are, consequently suffering from emotional and social needs and McClanahan correctly -- according to some (but not all) studies -- pointing to the repercussions of single parent homes that impact children's academic and vocational skills, changing legal factors in the way that divorce is now drafted may cause negative impact of divorce on children to be mitigated if not eliminated. Furthermore, both Popenoe (1993) and McClanahan may be too simplistic in that numerous other variables are involved in the stress factor to children from divorced homes making it difficult to assess whether it was divorce that causes the negative impact or other factors that cause that influence.

Popenoe's (1993) opinion reminds me of the portrait of the '50s family that was in more cases than is statistically known grounded on an unrealistic reality and non-existent hype. Such a family, more often than not, did not exist, but the mask of discontent, dysfunctionality, alcoholism, frustration, conflict, infidelity and so forth was masked by attempts to be like the 'ideal families pictured by the media and publicized by the Eisenhower's. McClanahan, similarly, laments results of a single-parent infrastructure on vocational and academic as well as interpersonal handicaps, but who is to say that, firstly, these variables do not arise from other concerns, secondly that these variables would not exist -- and perhaps to a worse extent in two-parents families where children have the other stressors or have the stressors of living with a dysfunctional parent.

Popenoe (1993) attributes family decline to my-centeredness, self-obsession, and egotism in that individuals are more reluctant than predecessors were to give of themselves to others therefore reluctant to engage in the altruistic task of raising a family and seeing to their needs. She provides a similar reason for the disintegration of the larger family. However, selfishness aside, there may plausibly be a variety of other reason that point to destabilization of family structure and that, if seen in that perspective, may if not exclude, certainly explain the phenomenon and lead us to be less accusational on single parents and individuals who separate themselves from their families than Popenoe (1993) is.

Drawing carte blanche conclusions on effect of children from divorced families is not so simple: Too many other variables are involved aside from which distinction must be drawn between children who suffered from within the context of their unhappy two-parent marriage and children who function from within the context of a divorced background. Factors include the nature of the initial separation, the nature of the divorce and child's relationship with parents (including custody factors), the nature of the parents relationship with one another, parental adjustment and resources, social, communal and other family support (if there is), children's academic and social adjustment, re-partnering of either one or both of the parents, and characteristics of the children themselves. The more multiple the stressors, the harder it may be for children to deal with the divorce over time and the more exponential the risks. But divorce has to, occasionally, occur and so, therefore, as Buchanan et al. (2007) shows programs or action-steps need to be put in place that could alleviate the potentially negative results.

Other mitigating factors, as Buchanan et al. (2007) indicate, are competent custodial parents and parenting where effective parental behavior such as warmth, nurturing, emotional support, authoritative discipline, and age appropriate behavior serves as a protective factor for parenting following divorce, as well as frequent contact with both parents, considering, or course, how nurturing either parent is. The level and intensity of parental conflict following divorce, too, has an enormous corresponding effect on the children's psychological ability of adjustment. Co-parental relationship with both parents planning together for the future of the children and engaging in corroboration of schedules and activities may prevent many, if not all, of the harmful results detailed by McClanahan and Cherlin et al. (1996). In fact, as Buchanan et al. (2007) illustrate, those deterrents together with timely interventions may help adolescents from divorced homes proceed with their lives and help parents and social workers succeed in their strategies formulated to ease children's adjustment to divorce.

In 1991, Cherlin et al. conducted national longitudinal surveys in both England and the U.S.A. Of the effects of divorce on children. In both boys and girls negative effects of divorce were apparent, particularly when compared to intact families. (This replicated the results of McClanahan's research which showed that children from divorced families also seem to have lower academic scores than children from intact families, but socioeconomic and other variables may also have an impact here).

In 2007, however, almost 2 decades later, Buchanan et al. (2007) conducted a longitudinal follow-up study (first stage: 1984-1985 when parents first filed for divorce; follow-up stage -- interview with and observation of adolescents -- 1988-1989) on 1,500 adolescents. They found that the more life stressors, children experienced before divorce took effect the harder the adjustment period were later. Repartnering of parent was sometimes, although not always helpful, and parenting style as well as parental involvement were, among other factors, crucial to adjustments. The research conducted by Buchanan et al. (2007) was more optimistic and positive than that conducted by Cherlin et al. (1991):

Four and half years after their parents had separated, many adolescents were functioning well and could talk to us frankly and articulately about their experiences as members of divorced families (273).

Actions are necessary to reach these results but "for parents who feel they must divorce.. these achievements are possible" (ibid.)