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Study: Parental Conflict, Not Divorce, Can Harm Children

It’s a common assumption that children are negatively affected by their parents’ divorce, but a new divorce study shows that parental conflict and a lack of co-parenting are the true culprits when it comes to harming a child’s mental health.
According to psychologists at the University of Basque Country, divorce in and of itself isn’t the issue when it comes to a child’s long- and short-term problems associated with parents breaking up. The real issue when it comes to kids and divorce are the presence of fighting parents, family instability, and family conflict.
The study followed over 400 families through the various stages of divorce. Throughout marital issues, separation and divorce, children were observed for signs of depression, anxiety, behavioral issues, and other common issues associated with divorce. Surprisingly, the study found that these problems only surfaced in cases where divorce was accompanied by other issues in the household, including parental conflict, changes in daily routine, and issues with co-parenting.
Of course, this leaves many asking, is it possible to go through the divorce process without exposing your family to other issues like general conflict and changes in routine?  Researchers say that simply being aware of the root causes of children’s issue during divorce may change how divorcing couples approach the end of their marriage.

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