What Does the Research Say About the Effect of Divorce On Children’s Educational Achievement?
A new study released by researchers at UCLA challenges the assumption that children’s educational performance suffers as a result of divorce. Specifically, researchers connected with the study indicate that its findings should make people rethink the assumption that there is universal value in parents staying in a marriage because, otherwise, their children could suffer in school.
Researchers were especially surprised at what a minimal impact divorce had on families were divorce was already statistically more likely. Moreover, the researchers point out that there are a number of factors that are involved when it comes to educational disadvantages for children; factors that go far beyond just divorce. In sum, they point out that, for some families, a child’s psychological well-being improves after divorce, even if there is a negative financial impact (especially if the marriage was very high-conflict).
According to the Research, Divorce Has Zero Impact on Some Kids
The study was recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. What the research shows is that divorce has less of an impact on children who are already facing a number of other hardships, such as socioeconomic challenges. According to the researchers, for children who were placed in the “likely to divorce group,” divorce essentially had zero impact on their likelihood of graduating from high school or college. According to researchers, the takeaway here is that marital stability is not a solution without addressing other factors, such as socioeconomic factors. In other words, instead of parents focusing on simply staying together, it could be more beneficial to children for parents to “fix” other issues, such as access to mental health services, work schedules, and financial hardships.
When Does Divorce Impact Kids?
According to some interpretations of the research, the more unlikely and unexpected a divorce is, the higher the chance that it can affect the educational attainment for kids. This deduction has a number of public policy implications, one of which arguably involves being more open and honest with your children about divorce ahead of time so that they are not surprised if and when it happens.The study also found that divorce is more likely where there are educational differences between the spouses, maternal depression, and socioeconomic disadvantages.
Contact Our Florida Divorce Attorneys Today to Find Out More
When it comes to assisting you and your family before, during, and after the process of divorce, you want to ensure that you work with a well-rounded attorney who understands what the latest research indicates in terms of what is in the best interests of the child, as well as what can provide you with peace of mind. Contact our Orlando divorce attorneys at Arwani Law Firm, PLLC today to find out more about our full-service family law team.
Resources:
time.com/5559611/divorce-hurt-wealthier-kids-school/
pnas.org/content/early/2019/03/25/1813049116
phys.org/news/2019-03-divorce-effect-children-constant.html
