Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute>> Marital, Couple, and Family Services >> Divorce

Divorce

About half of people marrying for the first time eventually divorce. Strong marital dissatisfaction, even if it does not result in divorce, can be emotionally damaging for those in the marriage as well as for children.  Serious marital conflict increases the risk of developing a number of childhood problems such as difficulty in school, health problems, depression, and behavior problems.

While parents are separating, divorcing and possibly remarrying, children and adolescents may experience anger, sleep disturbance, irritability, tantrums, conflict with siblings, parents, or teachers.  They may feel responsible, or may blame parents. Fear and worry about the future can also occur. A variety of reactions may be observed, depending in part upon the age of the child. Younger children may have temper tantrums, or try to be perfect, in order to please parents.  Adolescents may begin to experiment alcohol, drugs, or become sexually active, as a way of coping with the emotional distress.