Divorce and Factors Affecting Children’s Post-Divorce Adjustment

Karake Musaja Vincent

Adjustment, Children of divorce, Divorce, Factors.

Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, cancelling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties involved (A.M. Amber, Divorce: Facts, causes and consequences, 2009). Divorce carries the unpleasant experience that negatively affects all human relationships: parents, children, relatives, and friends. This devastating event affects parents’ emotional, psychological, social and economic stability. It also impacts parents’ relationship with their offspring. This article discusses the factors that affect children’s adjustment after divorce has actualized in a family.

In the discussion of factors that affect the adjustment of children in the post-divorce period, relevant literature by authorities and scholars in the area of Divorce and Marriage was reviewed. Views on factors that affect both parents and their children were taken to be used and compared to results of data critically and synthetically analyzed and interpreted.

In the process to collect data, Qualitative Descriptive research design was used where questionnaire, study guide, and interviews were used to collect data.  Basing on the research objectives, the data collected was coded, analyzed and tabulated.  The data was then interpreted, being answers from 85 respondents involved in the study.

The findings of the research carried out contained in this article showed that the following factors, namely Gender, Family characteristics, Ethno-cultural background, Situational characteristics, Time since marital disruption happened, and Conflicts when properly understood and better managed painwill easen and make children’s adjustment process more effective and less painful. It is recommended that a parent or parents (single or parents when remarriage of a spouse has taken place) get relevant Counselling that will help them understand the factors and their impact on the children of divorce better.  They, will then, be able to help the children adjust with less difficulty, less pain, and in a shorter period.