Effects of divorce on the mother - child relationship Term Paper

Effects of divorce on the mother - child relationship - Term Paper Example However, another striking finding is that it is possible to look at the effect of divorce on a more positive perspective such that mothers may actually develop certain strategies that would help them cope with the present situation, allowing them to experience a better relationship with their children. Introduction With the growing rates of divorce all over the world, it seems that the ceremony of marriage has lost its essence. Celebrities changing spouses almost as frequently as they change clothes become a part of everyday entertainment. In a highly liberated society, it does not come as a surprise when a couple separates even after years of marriage – in fact, it is almost anticipated. Several reasons have been identified, most of which, centered on the desire for freedom. As such, it appears as though freedom has become more valuable than love and stability. Indeed, in this modernized, less conservative world, marriage being a life-long commitment is already passe. However , it seems that many have overlooked the fact that more than just a ceremony, marriage is an institution which serves as a foundation of the family; hence, divorce not only breaks the marital bond but the family as well. The effect of divorce on children has become the focus of attention especially since their social and psychological development, in line with the socio-cultural learning theory of Vygotsky, is determined largely by their relationship with their parents, who serve as guides that shape their identity. When children grow up in the presence of both parents, they acquire traits and develop social skills that would equip them as they interact outside the home. As such, when a parent has to leave after divorce, the foundation is destabilized; thus, affecting the way that children interact with others. Nevertheless, perhaps, the most affected relationship in children’s life after divorce is that with their mother since most often than not, children are left in the cu stody of the mother after the couple separated. For this reason, many studies have been conducted on knowing the effects of divorce in mother-child relationship. These researches explored various facets of the relationship being influenced by the separation. Summary of Related Articles I. Brenner, J & Hyde, J. (2006). Parental divorce and mother-child interaction. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 45(3), 93-108. The study was conducted due to the predominance of researches which only focused on the negative effects of divorce in the interaction of mother and child, without adequate consideration of the perspectives of both individuals. Brenner & Hyde (2006) attempted to assess the behavior of both mother and child after divorce but unlike other studies on this matter they analyzed using a positive perspective. The previous research that led to their study is that of Gately and Schwebel, whose findings indicate that children of divorced parents actually improve in terms of maturity, c onfidence, empathy and sexual identity. This research gave them the idea that it is possible that divorce may be beneficial to mother-child relationship. Moreover, the researchers also utilize the concept of Vygotsky which serve as the theoretical framework in the analysis of results. The study made use of quasi-experimental design consisting of two groups of subjects: intact and broken families. The subjects consist of one hundred sixty pairs of