Many unhappy couples are concerned that divorce will have a negative impact on their children. But research shows that divorce may not be as detrimental to a child’s development as we think.
A study by Tamara Afifi, a professor in the department of communications at UCSB, uncovered some of the most compelling research discoveries of the past four decades regarding children and divorce. According to the findings, the true damage to children is caused by parental conflict more so than by divorce itself. Children whose parents have a lot of conflict and turbulence within the marriage, creating a toxic home environment, have a far higher rate of long-term negative effects than children whose parents are divorced, and living in a loving supportive environment with parents who are working together in a positive way. . The bottom line is that parents who fight in an unhealthy way impact the children whether you stay married or not.