PARENTAL SEPARATION AND ITS EFFECT ON CHILDREN

 

 

The problem this study looks at is the mental health of children with separated parents compared to children who have both parents. More specifically, looking at the number of children who have anxiety in each category. The results will be compared to find out if there is a noticeable difference between the two. This study is a correlation study to examine if children with separated parents leads to higher rates of anxiety. This paper will conclude with an examination of two research studies.

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Page Break Introduction The specific problem of interest is does living with separated parents affect the mental health of the child. More specifically, if the child suffers from anxiety or not. The mental health of a person is the psychological well-being or an absence of mental illness. Mental health may affect the child’s daily life, how they think, feel, and behave. Children are vulnerable to changes in their mental health due to many factors.

However, by doing this study it shall remove one factor or at least clarify. The point of studying this problem is to find out if having separated parents affects the child’s mental health for the better or worse. Finding out if there is a problem or not is important to know since it has to do with children mental health. Studies have shown that these children, if left untreated by a mental health professional, will likely to grow up and repeat these same behaviors with their children. Thus, it is crucial to look at the mental health of children, to find out if further action needs to be taken to help the children. The research proposal is to examine the children when they are in a natural setting such as playing with their peers. Examiners are going to look at the mental health of children who have two parents and separated parents. Then by using the results, comparing the mental health between the two groups. By studying the children’s behavior and actions when in a natural setting; the mental health of the child should be clearer.

The results from the comparison between children with separated parents to those who have two parents will determine if there is a problem. The purpose of this study by (Liu, Li, & Ge, 2009, pg. 2049) is to examine the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and age of separation of children with parents who migrate to cities in search for employment in China. The design of the study is to have children from three different regions of China take a questionnaire that asked about trait anxiety, depression, and age of separation. The results in the study by (Liu, Li, & Ge, 2009, pg. 2050) show that children who were separated from parents at a younger age had more symptoms of anxiety and depression. The effect was clearer for children who were separated from their mothers or from both parents. The study relates to current research by the means of similar procedure or methods, age group, and research topic. Questionnaires are important to be able to survey many children at one time and will be used by both ideas.

However, one idea will also go into how the results affect their everyday life by examining their life at school and at home. Both studies will look at children, except one study will also look into Kindergarteners for a wider age group. The goal for both studies is the same, to find out if children with separated parents have symptoms of anxiety and or depression. The purpose of this study by (Neoh, & Mellor, 2010, pg. 155) is to investigate children’s adjustment in shared parenting arrangements relative to other family arrangements. The study is designed around doing questionnaires, using the children’s beliefs and parental separation scale, and assuming members of intact families would be less stressed and more satisfied than sole residence families. This study by (Neoh, & Mellor, 2010, pg. 156) questions the children and their parents who are separated and comparing their answers to answers from families that share parenting. The results show that there are little differences between children, suggesting that shared parenting is not necessarily better than a sole residence.

However, the results show parents in shared parenting are more satisfied with the situation. The study relates to current idea by using similar methods to gain information. For example, using questionnaires on the children and parents. Both ideas are looking at the effect separate parenting has on their children. In the study, results show that parents in all groups underestimated the emotional problems reported by children. This relates to the other idea that separated parents influence the mental health of the children. Though, not by much according to the results

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