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Ivano Donchieu

Professor Reed

ENGL 1301

6 November 2023

The Relevance of Preventing Divorce

Christy Bieber, a personal finance, and legal writer with more than a decade of

experience declares that “In fact, 72% of couples reported they didn’t fully understand the

commitment involved in marriage before they tied the knot” (Forbes Advisor). Divorce remains

a controversial issue in the United States. Divorce always entails the canceling of the legal duties

and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the bonds of matrimony between a married

couple under the rule of law of a particular state. Patrick F. Fagan and Aaron Churchill assert

that “Each year, over a million American children suffer the divorce of their parents” (Marriage

& Religion Research Institute). Divorce causes irreparable harm to all involved, but most

especially to the children. Divorce has many consequences both for children and for society.

Reasons for preventing divorce are many, but the most relevant are cyclical brokenness in the

family, juvenile delinquency, and causes depression.

To begin with, divorce has many consequences both for children and on society because

it leads to a cyclical brokenness in families. The primary effect of divorce is a decline in the

relationship between parents and children. Children in divorced families receive less emotional

support, financial assistance, and practical help from their parents. Fagan and Churchill report

that, “Ninety percent of nonresidential parents are fathers, and the stress of divorce damages the

parent-child relationship for as many as forty percent of divorced mothers” (Marriage & Religion

Research Institute). For example: A teenager from a divorced family living with his mother,
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turns to complicate his relationship with his mother out of frustration due to the absence of his

father. This entails the different challenges he encounters in certain aspects of his life as he

grows up. A boy is not comfortable in bringing up certain topics with his mother compared to his

father. Divorce implies a cyclical brokenness because many children from divorced families

suffer from a psychological trauma which impacts them all their lives. Parents suffering from

marital disputes, trying to sort them out specifically, make the best decision for their children.

Moreover, divorce has many consequences both on children and society because it is one

of the main reasons for juvenile delinquency. Children from divorced families most of the time

suffer from a lack of parental control and care. Alexandra S. Burt et al, acknowledge that

“Adolescents should manifest increased delinquency only in response to divorce exposure”

(American Psychological Association). For example: Many minors today turn to take poor

decisions is a result of lack of parental supervision. Most children from divorced families suffer

the disequilibrium because of them living with only one of their parents. Psychologists play a

great role in saving marriages, giving the opportunity to parents to guarantee the future of their

children with their presence in every aspect of their lives.

Furthermore, divorce has many consequences both on children and on society because it

causes depression. Marriage experts argue that most children from divorced families suffer from

depression as they are affected by the fact that they live with one of their parents. When judges

give the choice to children in some divorce cases to pick between their parents, the effect is

devastating. For example: A child from a divorce will certainly have nostalgic feelings about the

happy days of his parents’ marriage. This impacts greatly on the psychological condition of

children. Parents are not exempt from depression in some cases. Catherine E. Ross, and John

Mirowsky argue that “Previously observed marital status differences in psychological well-being
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reflect decreases in well-being associated with divorce more than they reflect preexisting

problem” (Journal of Marriage and Family).

Ultimately, divorce impacts children and society negatively. Reasons for preventing

divorce are many, but the most relevant are cyclical brokenness in the family, juvenile

delinquency, and causes depression. Children are the priority in every recognized marital union

and parents guarantee their moral support, by maintaining a peaceful and stable marriage.
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Works Cited

Christy Bieber. Citing Sources: Forbes Advisor.

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/divorce/divorce-statistics/#most_common_reasons

_for_divorce_section

Patrick F. Fagan and Aaron Churchill. “The Effects of Divorce on Children”. Marriage &

Religion Research Institute, January 11 2012, https://marri.us/wp-content/uploads/The-

Effects-of-Divorce-on-Children.pdf

Catherine E. Ross, and John Mirowsky. Citing Sources : Journal of Marriage and Family, Vol.

61, No. 4 (Nov., 1999), https://www.jstor.org/stable/352399?seq=1

Alexandra S. Burt et al. “Parental divorce and adolescent delinquency: Ruling out the impact of

common genes.” American Psychological Association.

https://psycnet.apa.org/search/display?id=fa3413d5-1c01-50cd-e824-

2abcc458405b&recordId=3&tab=PA&page=1&display=25&sort=PublicationYearMSSo

rt%20desc,AuthorSort%20a