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The Formation of Sociological Trends – Divorce and the Family

Anna Marlowe

Department of Home and Family, Brigham Young University - Idaho

FAML 460: Child and Family Advocacy

Tim Rarick

October 6, 2023
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Understanding the Effects of Divorce

There is an ongoing issue of which the rate and effects are growing each day. Divorce

between a man and woman, more specifically, a father and mother, can be very harmful to their

children and family. In order to look at how harmful this social issue is for children we must first

look at what multifaceted functions a family consists of and provides. The institution of the

family socializes the children, fulfills their needs, protects them, and nurtures them (Hinckley,

1995). The process leading up to, going through, and finalizing a divorce can violate many of

these basic functions, in turn impacting children and families negatively with short and long term

consequences. Each family and child is “obviously unique, with different strengths and

weaknesses, different personalities and temperaments, and varying degrees of…economic

resources, as well as differing family situations prior to divorce. Despite these differences,

divorce has been shown to diminish a child's future competence in all areas of life, including

family relationships, education, emotional well-being, and future earning power” (Anderson,

2014). While the causes of divorce have changed over time, the lasting effects maintain their

harmful impact. We can see these lasting effects by looking at each level of Bronfenbrenner’s

Bioecological Theory in relation to families/children and parents experiencing divorce.

Microsystem Factors

There are many factors contributing to this ongoing issue. Both around the child and the

family, there are factors directly connected to them in their microsystem. Whether it be the work

environment, the church group, or education, there is an impact. These directly connected

elements are both acted upon and acting upon the family. In the home, there may be constant

arguing, neglect, varying degrees of abuse, or excessive leniency in discipline or expectations.

As the home environment is unsteady, this can have an impact on the microsystem factors as
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well. Grades in school, results in the work setting, or relationships with peers may be effected in

some way. In a study published by the American Psychological Association, it was shown that

children whose parents divorced “had more behavioral and emotional problems (aggressive

behavior, delinquency, depression, anxiety and withdrawal), lower levels of academic

achievement and poorer social adjustment reported by their teachers. The children also reported

earlier drug use more than the children whose parents did not divorce” (2000). These different

examples from real life children experiencing divorce in their household show how unbalanced

the microsystem can become, and how the pattern of this social issue effects the family and

children.

Exosystem Factors

As far as Exosystem factors that may play into the impact divorce has on the family unit,

legal services may effect the financial situation and that can indirectly effect the

children’s/family’s lives. If social services are also needed in these situations, it can effect the

child’s trust and relationships. Trust, relationships, and opportunities for learning and gaining

experience are all things that are fundamental to a child’s development, and all things that can be

negatively impacted by divorce, directly and indirectly. Mass media, such as movies that depict

divorced parents and misbehaving children, can indirectly manipulate one’s perspective.

Macrosystem Factors

The culture of the family as well as the attitudes that are associated with it may influence

decisions that are made through the divorce process, along with government policies. Different

cultural perceptions of the institution of marriage and the family can change how one might

value the family. It can also impact how the parents go about the divorce and organization

afterwards. This impacts the children, indirectly by culture and attitudes, often in a negative way.
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Chronosystem Factors

There are many different events or movements that scholars and sociologists say have

contributed to the rates of divorce. It has been shown that “only about 5% of marriages

contracted in 1867 ended in divorce, but over one-half of marriages contracted in 1967 are

expected to end in divorce. Scholars and commentators have consistently explained this change

as a product of the changing sexual division of labor” (Ruggles, 1997). Since the year that was

published, rates have only increased. The division between men and women, rising awareness

and broadening of gender roles, and the increasing fluidity of commitment contributed to – from

Bronfenbrenner’s chronosystem level – negative impacts that divorce has on families and

children today.
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References

American Psychological Association. (2000). Both genetics and Environment Influence

Children’s maladjustment during divorce. American Psychological Association.

https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2000/07/child-of-divorce

Anderson J. (2014). The impact of family structure on the health of children: Effects of divorce.

The Linacre quarterly, 81(4), 378–387.

https://doi.org/10.1179/0024363914Z.00000000087

Hinckley, G. B. (1995, September 23). The Family Proclamation. The Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter Day Saints. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ the-family-a-

proclamation- to-the-world/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng

Ruggles S. (1997). The rise of divorce and separation in the United States, 1880-1990.

Demography, 34(4), 455–479. https://doi.org/10.2307/3038300