Question

Discuss long-term effects of divorce on children.What is divorce mediation and what is its primary goal?

Answer 1

The effects of divorce on children vary, but tend to be negative when compared to children living in happy intact families.Certainly, the immediate effects are unsettling,but the long term effects are probably mixed.Some children may suffer long term damage.Others may be better off after a divorce if their conflicting parents were abusive.There is a dramatic change in socioeconomic status and the children's needs may not be met after divorce. Boys are at greater risk because the absence of role-model makes it more difficult for boys to adjust to divorce.Preadolescent and adolescent childrens are at greater risk for their feelings are repressed due to divorce.The parental conflict may lead to confusion, frustration,anger and loyality conflicts among childrens.

In divorce mediation, a trained neutral third party (not necessarily, but ideally a lawyer) helps the person and his spouse negotiate a complete settlement of all the issues that must be decided in divorce from legal and finacial to social and emotional. The primary goal of mediation is negotiating an agreement to end their relationship, and deal with issues such as child custody or division of property, as well as social and emotional issues.