Effects of Divorce on Middle Childhood

However, while most therapy sessions concentrate on how either party to the divorce is taking up the new status or the process of divorce, the children are often assumed to be understanding and comfortable with the situation as long as the parents do not display any form of visible outrage or arguments. However, the effects of divorce on children is equally devastating as it is on their parents. It is thus imperative that due consideration is taken to account when looking into the effects that divorce has on middle childhood children. Rather than assuming that these children are young adults and thus understand the circumstances that have triggered their parents’ divorce, it is prudent that the effects of the divorce on adolescents is observed and addressed accordingly.

Development Period of Middle Childhood The years before teenage hood are some of the confusing stages for many children who are transitioning from one stage to another. Kegerreis in her work reveals that some young children suffer from different forms of depression and mental health following the developments that they face (Kegerreis, 2010). In essence, their methods of coping are among the key factors that influence their social and emotional stability hence, raising the necessity to understand children counseling and psychotherapy (Thomson and Fedewa, 2014). This makes it possible to gauge the challenges that the middle childhood clients are exposed to in different circumstances that they face personally and even with regard to external influences. Difficulty of Divorce on Middle Childhood Client Divorces are naturally difficult on the couple that has chosen to part ways.

The difficulty arises especially with regard to the time and investment that were made in the relationship. Kegerreis in her work provides several examples of the effects of divorce on middle childhood children. As such, through her examples, key effects include the child feeling unwanted and as the main cause of his or her parents’ divorce. Additionally, the children may take up negative behaviors as a form of defense mechanism to shield themselves from the societal stigma that is associated with divorce. As such, she gives the example of a girl, Carol a 12year old, who was very defensive in school against her peers as a form of defense that shielded her from having to feel the emotional pain resulting from the neglect she felt she received from her parents (Kegerreis, 2010).

Similarly, divorce is anticipated to have the same effects on children where they feel neglected, attacked and the main reason behind the problem. Claire (2004) in his work focuses on the works of Freud and takes into consideration the two developmental positions as described by Freud to shed light into the direct relevance and impact on developmental age and stage different changes such as divorce may have on middle childhood clients. Key to this position is the second developmental position which is the depressive position. Using the perception of an infant, it occurs at the stage in which the infant is at a position of relating to whole or complete objects (St. Claire, 2004). As the infant develops more realistic experiences, it is able to integrate more realistic stances towards the world.

Essentially, divorce has the effect of disbanding the parent-child attachment that once existed. As a result, when the child is detached from the parent, their behavior and development changes, as well as they, try to understand and adapt to the new changes. Shapiro et al. (2015) begin their chapter on Therapy Fundamentals with the example of Brent a troubled 5-year-old in kindergarten who displayed different behaviors a while after joining school. Brent came from a home where his parents were divorced and he could only see his father once a month or so. As a result, the child appears to be defiant and out of control. In essence, all that is going on with the child is a protective mechanism that they may not understand as they try to shield themselves from the emotional turmoil (Dorothy, Fiona & Graham, 2010).

Therefore, parents in this instance consider taking their child for counseling with the aim of trying to understand the change in behavior. Freeman, Epston, and Lobovits (1997) present an approach that may be useful in understanding the position of children who are going through tough and traumatizing experiences. They recommend first learning more about the child outside the problem. In this regard, more children will have an ample chance at proper recovery when the counseling sessions are approached and focused from a child’s perspective. Conclusion The effects of divorce on children and adolescents are usually grievous to their health. Divorce affects their social lives, emotional and mental health and their overall perspective on life. Parents are an important factor in the lives of their children.