Children's living arrangements after parental separation

CLAUDIA A. TAPIES, ANA G. VALLES, LIDIA D. TABERNER

Ramon Llull University, Barcelona, Catalonia, SPN

INTRODUCTION:

"Each year, nearly 50,000 children under 18 years of age experience the divorce of their parents. However, this figure fails to capture the number of children who experience parental separation. Whatever the marital status background, the way in which parenting arrangements are managed is likely to have a critical impact on childrens wellbeing." (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2009) The number of separations in our country has increased throughout the last years. It seems some families have suffered changes in their basic structure with this subsequent loss of some of their members and the incorporation of others. The break of the emotional affective ties is always painful and is lived with certain distress by the couple involved. In spite of this, the main victims of any breaking process are the children, especially, the younger ones. The hypothesis was to determine if during the year in which the parents get divorced the school performance of the children decreases. There are too many variables that can determine the form in which every child expresses their discomfort after their parents break up. So it is not a simple task to analyze the effects of parental separation in children. Some parents can think that the separation is the best thing for their children when there is a bad environment at home. Others will affirm imprudently that it does not seem that their children are affected by it, due to the fact that they do not usually mention the topic. The separation of the parents it is something that always affects children's personality in a negative way the child personality, but its effects can be more or less disturbing according to the behavior of each parent towards the other, during and after the separation experience. Recent studies (Canton and other 2.007) seem to demonstrate that the separation or divorce parents have significant negative effects in the children who suffer it. The truth is that there are always consequences, in the present or in the future. The divorce brings consequences that produce damage in children and in many cases psychological problems. These problems can be observed in their conduct, their personality and in their academic results.

A child looses interest in learning because he feels frustrated as a result of his parental separation. He might also have problems such as the loss of self- esteem, psychosomatic pains (headaches, stomach discomforts), sleeping disorders... All this problems are likely to lead to others, such as addictions.

METHODOLOGY:

After choosing the topic and stating the hypothesis, the method that will be followed in order to reassert or deny this hypothesis needs to be explained. The information research is the first part of the investigation. The grade of recognition of the articles related to the topic, and the link they have with educational psychology are the fundamental part of the project. The creation of the survey is the result of the information collecting process and the research gaps found after reading on the topic. The questions have been chosen and analyzed according to the goal, which is obtaining results that are truly conclusive in order to reaffirm the hypothesis. In the mentioned questionnaire no distinctions between male or female have been made given the fact that it had no importance at all. Nevertheless, it has been considered that the age of the respondent was important, being suitable people between 20 and 30 years of age. Questions were related to the past of the subjects being inquired. Specifically, about the temporary lapse between 7 to 12 years old, because the intention was to find out their feelings and emotions during their childhood. The reason is easy: a child cannot understand or answer this kind of questionnaire.

RESULTS:

The results reported show that the majority of the respondents had experienced a decrease in their school performance and their marks due to the separation of their parents (Q1). Moreover the same thing happened to their siblings. Most of them answered that the break up made an impact in their academic results (Q8). As a result of that, other qualities such as the attention were also affected (Q2). Most of them also answered that the divorce produced an impact on their self confidence. On the one hand, a big part of those who were inquired think that the fact that one of their parents started another serious relationship after the break up affected them in a negative way. The results show differences but also some similar answers between all the respondents. Q1 & Q2 the percentage of people answering YES and NO are similar. In the first one just 10% more think that their parents were not concerned about school and tasks after the break up. The same situation also appeared in the second question: just a difference of 4% between those interviewed who said that they felt more frustrated when things went wrong and those who did not felt that way, being higher the first general opinion. On the other hand, a distinction can be found in other questions made. Q3 & Q4 show the same percentages. In both questions, the 60% of the people answered YES while 40% said NO. In the specific case of Q3, a greater positive effect can be seen, after the parental break up. 6 out of 10 said that the disagreement of the separation made them be more concerned about school and marks. In the same way, 61% of the people ensured that separation influenced their academic results. Finally a big difference can be found between Q5 and Q9. Each one of them has received a big percentage of YES answers. Q5 & Q9 reveal that the break up had an impact and guilty feelings came up. So did illfeelings to their parents.

DISCUSSION:

The purpose of the study was to determine whether during the year in which parents get divorced the school performance of the children decreased. The results, of questions 1,2,4,8 clearly verify the hypothesis. Those percentages show that a decrease in school performance took place due to the familiar situation, blocking childrens attention and not letting them continue with their tasks. Q3&Q7 show the positive effects the separation had on childrens future plans and careers, which were totally unexpected results. The majority of the answers confirm that the parental separation has influenced the attention, feelings, behavior of those volunteers that answered our poll and in the end, it made an impact on their school performance. However, it has to be said that some answers show a positive impact after the incident.

REFERENCES:

- Children's living arrangements after parental separation. Recover the 4th of March 2013, http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/pubs/fm2004/fm67/lq.pdf
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- Bianchi,AE(2000).Psicologa de la adolescencia: de sus conflictos y armonas. Barcelona. - Hopkins,JR(1986). Adolescencia: aos de transicin. Madrid: Pirmide, DL. Marks:6

APENDDIX:

QUESTIONAIRE Age: 1.Did you experience a decrease in your school performance and your marks due to the familiar situation you were living? Yes No

2.Was that situation worrying you and blocking your attention or did it let you continue with your normal tasks? Yes (blocked mind) No

3.Do you really think that the breakup implied a negative or positive effect in you? Positive Negative

4.Do you think that the disagreement in the separation process influenced your school life and your marks? Yes No

5.Did the breakup produce an impact on your self confidence or did you have feelings of guilt? Yes (Impact and guiltiness feelings) No

6.Do you think your parents started to be less concerned in your scholarwork since the moment of their separation? Yes No

7.Years after the break up, do you think that it made a difference in your professional career? Yes No

8. In case you have siblings did the break up also made an impact in their academic results?

Yes 9.Do you have any regrets or have feelings towards parental figures? Yes

No

No

10.When you found out that things were not as expected, did you use to get frustrated quicker than before the separation? No Yes