Parents in the Detroit, Michigan, area who have dealt with divorce are likely quite aware of the impact that the procedures can have on children. Even adult children can be affected by parents’ divorce, and a new study shows that the impact on children is the top regret individuals have related to their divorce.
In a study of 867 individuals, researchers asked questions to determine what participants most regretted about divorce. The individuals in the study were all divorced, although it is unknown if they were all parents. Still, almost a third of the participants cited impact to children as the biggest regret, putting that issue at the top of the list.
Around a third of parents believed their children’s emotional state was negatively affected by divorce proceedings, though almost a fourth of respondents believed divorce did not impact their children at all. Around a fifth of respondents indicated school work was negatively impacted during a divorce, but approximately seven percent reported that children were happier following a divorce.
Divorce regrets weren’t all associated with kids. Almost one-fourth of survey participants regretted the way divorce had impacted their personal financial status. A fifth of the respondents also regretted the manner in which the divorce occurred.
Regrets are a common emotion in the wake of a divorce, but parents can take action to reduce the impact of the procedure on children’s lives. Working together towards amicable decisions about property distribution, child custody and child support is the first step. A clinical psychologist also recommends ensuring children have stable relationships with both parents and others following a divorce. This is especially true for young children, who are just developing relationship milestones – the inability to learn from stable relationships at that age can have a lifelong affect.
Source: Huffington Post, “Survey Reveals What Divorced Couples Regret Most” No author given, Dec. 17, 2013