Question

Explain the effects of gender development on girls and boys of different ages when a parent mother or father leaves the home permanently.  (Please incorporate research, sociological THEORY AND SOCIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS in your answer).

Answer 1

Couples who go through a divorce worry about their children. In addition to questions about child custody, visitation, and support, many concerned parents wonder how their divorce will affect their children for good or bad. Divorce can affect your child in different ways depending on many factors, including age and gender. Here we will review what the research says about how divorce may affect boys verses girls. Along with that, we will focus on children from early childhood (3-13) and adolescence (14-19) and how parents can help their children cope with the negative effects of divorce. We will also suggest other resources that you can turn to if you have other questions on this topic.

How does divorce tend to affect young girls?

Generally, divorce tends to affect girls and boys in similar ways, but there are some ways that boys and girls experience divorce differently. Young girls are affected by divorce in some different ways than young boys. Research shows that young girls tend to have some negative symptoms for up to a year, such as depression, anger, and psychological problems. These symptoms often subside with time.

For many divorced family situations, mothers have custody over their children. For young girls, research suggests that developing a strong relationship with their mothers after the divorce helps these girls to heal from the stresses of divorce at a faster pace than if they stayed with their father. Dr. Paul R. Amato, an expert researcher on divorce, has found that the mother-daughter relationship tends to be pretty resilient to the stresses of divorce. Because they are no longer living with their fathers, however, it is important for mothers to help young daughters maintain contact and a good relationship with their father. Of course, circumstances may be different for every family.

Research suggests that divorce can negatively affect the overall educational and occupational pursuits of young girls. Sadly, around 10 percent of young girls who have gone through a divorce have reported having a decreased desire to do well in school. However, on average, research finds that most girls will do fine in school and occupational pursuits, especially if they have continued support from at least one parent.

The effects of divorce can change the physical development of adolescent girls. One interesting finding is that adolescent girls in divorced and remarried families show an earlier onset of menstruation and physical maturation. Many of these young girls are not emotionally ready for the changes that come about due to puberty. For this reason, parents should be prepared to discuss these bodily changes earlier with their young girls so that they will learn how to cope with these changes sooner than later.

For many young girls, the process of divorce makes them feel like they have to mature faster. Many parents of divorce struggle themselves with the effects of divorce and need someone to turn to for support and understanding. Unfortunately, in many cases these parents (especially mothers) turn to their children, particularly to their young daughters, for this support. Many divorced mothers described their daughters like a close friend or sister and they felt they could talk to them about anything, including their own dating and romantic relationship problems, depression, loneliness, and financial stresses Young children struggle when a parent discloses personal problems to them like they would to an adult friend. Children need a parent to teach them and help them at the right times in their development. When parents disclose too much their personal struggles, it is hard on their young girls.

How does divorce tend to affect young boys?

Research suggests that parental divorce at a young age increases some bad behavior in boys, such as aggression or fighting. Also, adolescent boys whose parents have separated have a greater risk for getting involved in delinquent behavior. These effects are even larger when marriages were marked with high conflict before the divorce.

Divorce can make a significant change in the psychological development of young boys. Research shows that when parents divorce, the psychological well-being and self-esteem of young boys can decline, again, especially when parents’ marriages were spotted with conflict. Also, pre-school-aged boys can become more dependent, whiny, aggressive, and defiant for the first year after the divorce. For most pre-school-aged boys, these problems tend to subside after the first year.

Losing their father after the divorce can have a negative impact on young boys. Research shows that most children lose regular contact with their fathers after a few years. Some researchers have found that the loss of a father may further complicate or delay boys’ adjustment and development. For this reason, experts suggest that boys, especially those who are entering adolescence, need continual involvement from their father to help them adjust to divorce.

Many divorced parents wonder if a remarriage will negatively affect the development of their children. In many cases, the involvement of a stepfather or stepmother soon after the divorce brings added stress to children. However, in the case of young boys, research has shown that boys sometimes find new stepfathers to be an ally or friend and are more accepting of the change than girls.