The Relationship Between Divorce and Adolescence

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The Relationship � PAGE �7�

Running Head: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIVORCE

The Relationship Between Divorce and Adolescence

Allen A. Armas

CSU Stanislaus

CDEV-3240 Human Development II: Adolescence

Dr. Victoria Cortez

7 December 2007

The Relationship Between Divorce and Adolescence

Section I: Background

Through the arduous process of growing up, adolescence brings trying times for many individuals. As if pimples and general awkwardness is not enough, divorce can wreak havoc for years to come and not just after the fact but before also. With an ever-increasing difficulty of trying to aim adolescents down the right it is important to understand the implications of our actions as adults and take action to flank the backlash. Over the past few decades, divorce rates have increased in the United States and since the 1960s and 1970s. Then in 1992 statistics showed that half of all marriages would end in separation or divorce if the trend continued (Storksen 2006).

In the past, divorce was not as popular as now and despite a very social-familial impact, past studies sometimes overlooked the adolescent. Today, more adolescents are living in families that are different from the past (Santrock 2007). Now more than ever, adolescents can have step and (or) half brothers and sisters, "and, by age 18, approximately one-forth of all American children will have lived a portion of their lives in a step family" (Santrock). Also, a greater percentage of mothers are out in the work force due to increased education and decreased sexist barriers. This sometimes adds to familial stress when parental communication is poor and fathers are unable to adjust accordingly.

Whether it's work, kids, school, or just life, parents sometimes inadvertently deny themselves circumstances that are conducive to a simple conversation. Time is a commodity, which has been allocated for doing things that facilitate...