indicate that "the long-term effects are related more to the child's developmental status, sex, and temperament; the qualities of the home and parenting environments; and to the resources and support systems available to the parents and child than they are to divorce or remarriage per se." (Hetherington et al., 303) From a clinical treatment perspective, the article by Konstam (2009) is particularly useful. This presents the view that for those verging on adulthood who experience the divorce of parents, there is a more sophisticated and thus more complex sense of loss which is difficult to interpret. This is experienced differently than the dissolution of a marriage for young children who may lack the wherewithal to have observed clear warning signs. Here, Konstam suggests that clinical assistance can be a valuable resource for contending with issues which may otherwise incubate. Konstam suggests "that family therapists can assist emerging adults in developing narratives related to the experience of divorce that promote happiness, maturity, and complexity, narratives that serve as a powerful alternative to existing deficit models." (Konstam, 26)

As somewhat of a departure, we consider finally the text by Marquedt (2006), which decries divorce as inherently traumatic to children. Using the testimony of the children of divorce in order to illustrate this point, the text is compelling in demonstrating that there is a direct consequence to the immediate emotional happiness of children of divorce.

However, the findings...

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Amato, P. & Cheadle, J.(2008). Parental divorce, marital conflict and children's behavior problems: A comparison of adopted and biological children. Social Forces, 83

(3), 1139-1161.

Baker, a. (2005). The Long-term effects of parental alienation on adult children:

A qualitative research study. American Journal of Family Therapy, 33(4), 289-302. doi: 10.1080/01926180590962129

Barnes, a. & Burt, a. (2008). Parental divorce and adolescent delinquency: Ruling out the impact of common genes. Developmental Psychology. 44(6), 1668-1677

Clarke-Stewart, a., & Brentano, C. (2006). Divorce: Causes and consequences. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Corliss, R. (2002). Does divorce hurt kids? Times Europe, 159(4), 44.

Hetherington, E. (1989). Marital transitions: A child's perspective. American Psychological Association, 44(2) 303-312

Konstam, V. (2010). Emerging adults and parental divorce: Coming to terms with what might have been. Journal of Systemic Therapies,…