Children that come from Split/Divorced Families more Defensive/Less Submissive

Abstract

Studies have indicated that children from nontraditional families are less submissive compared to children from traditional families. It has been established that it is because of psychological disorder which several of them go through during the divorce or separation process. However, this study is focus in investigating the effect it has to millennial to marriages, relationship and their sexual lives in the society. In order to complete the study, several literature reviews were analyzed and present based on the research question. The study revealed that children from nontraditional families are less submissive and also do not consider getting married as well. And therefore, it can impact negatively to the society if not addressed.

Introduction

Several studies have established that children who are brought up by a single parent are more likely to be less submissive in relationship. Children that come from nontraditional families struggle with the idea of relationship, than children brought up by both parents. The research paper will focus on how the millennial are affected by the single parenting. John and Linda (2013), pointed that children are more assertive when it comes to communication and expression. They tend to get affected with people around them and therefore, most of them blame themselves for divorce or separation of their parents which makes them to grow up disliking relationship.

According to Johnson and Linda (2013), the separation and the environment in which children from nontraditional families are brought up makes them to have a belief that relationship does not matter. Researchers have noted that most children from nontraditional families conclude that if her or his parent could make it alone then he or she can do the same. The perception affects relationship and it makes it difficult to find such individuals in a long term relationship. children learn from their parents and by being brought up by single parents make an individual to believe there is nothing importance in relationship. This study, therefore, address the issues which affect nontraditional children to make us understand the process and how such issues could be addressed as well. However, the research question of the study is Research Question – Are children that come from split/divorced families more defensive/less submissive when it comes to relationships vs. Children that come from traditional families?

Statement of the Problem

Several children from nontraditional families have developed negative feelings towards relationship and marriages which is creating a negative impact in the society. The change of attitude towards relationship has created a decline in monogamy and marriages. As a result several young people do not want to commit to marriage hence increase the rate of divorce and separation as well. Survey has indicated that about 75% of children who come from nontraditional families are single and not interested starting a serious relationship (Johnston, Johnston, & Janet, 2015). Statistically if such trend continues then it means majority of young people will not get married and the rate of divorce shall increase and this will make it difficult to have a normal family set up. It is therefore, essential to take an action which can address issues which cause an increase in divorce in the society and bring families together so that future cases of divorce and separation are reduced.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study to investigate key factors in millennial generation that have caused a tremendous change and a decline in marriages, casual dating or relationship, sexual promiscuity and high divorce rates within the last twenty years.

Research Question

Are children that come from split/divorced families more defensive/less submissive when it comes to relationships vs. Children that come from traditional families?

Significant of the study

The finding of this study could be importance in two ways. First, it can bring the awareness of the increase multiple generations the effect a nontraditional family can have psychologically on the children involved, which in return leads to a declination in divorce rates. Secondly, this study may provide guidance to individuals who are affected by either divorce or split and therefore, it can provide information which can address, identify and eliminate the inner conflicts and negative attitude that associate with relationship and marriage. And therefore, as a result of this study the rate of marriages can increase and the children from nontraditional families can recognize marriages and relationship as an important aspect in their lives. . Also, with more monogamous relationships, the rate of sexually transmitted diseases would start to decline. Thirdly, this study may lead to better family planning, with intentions of families staying together. Children that come from a traditional family have a higher chance of being successful in life.

Limitation of the study

The way children view relationship is very different and the way nontraditional families view marriage and relationship is different and this affect the study. There is a chance that views on relationships may vary depending on child/parent relationship, financial stability, and time of family separation. It is noted that children from non traditional families develop a negative perception on marriages and relationship which has created decline in marriages and monogamy.

Literature review

Research has established that children usually experience difficult times during divorce or separation which ends up affecting them psychologically. According to Wagner (2012)children first experience life by watching their parents arguing over issues and this does not help them but break them apart. In most cases children blame themselves for the divorce or separation. Several studies have indicated that children always feel that they are the cause of divorce and they continue to live with such thinking to their adult age. However, imagine of such belief traumatized children from nontraditional families and therefore, they develop bad attitude against relationship and marriage. Research has also indicated that children from nontraditional families experienced difficult time in their lives and most children witnessed violence and assault between their parents. Heitler (2012), noted that such actions affect children and most children live with such traumatized image to their adult age and therefore affect them in their late life when they have a family.

Behavioral Adjustment following divorce of children

A study conducted regarding the behavior adjustment of children whose parents are divorce shows that most children suffers from psychological trauma, stress, and lower academic performance which sometimes interfere with their life. A report by Health Canada (2014) the number of children being treatment for psychological disorder is common among divorce families compared to traditional families. Heitler (2012) stated that it takes children to adjust to conditions or situation and on the process most of them regret being in the situation. Therefore, it makes them to discard relationship and become less submission. As illustrated by Heitler (2012), children learn a lot from their parents , the good and bad of life and when a child watches his or parents being submission they learn and become submissive in life. It is find it difficult for children from divorce of separation families to be submission because they believe relationship and marriage have hurt them.

Study revealed that the effect of divorce affects children at the age of 12 years and below psychologically, and develop behavior problem. It is because child at that age depend on their parents and protected by their teachers. And therefore, separation or divorce hurts them. It makes children to feel abandon and in effect they grow up knowing people can divorce and live a separate life (Berg & Beveridge, 2014). This sticks to their minds and when they become adults it become very difficult to have a normal relationship. As a result many children from nontraditional families live single live because of fear of being hurt, which is purely based on their parents’ relationship not theirs. A study also revealed that children with experience prefer casual relationship and hence increase the rate of sexual promiscuity in the society. The divorce hurts and traumatizes children, it affects children psychologically which require psychologically treatment for them to forget the past and start a new page in the lives.

However, the drama and psychological disorder make children from nontraditional families to become less submissive compared to children from traditional families. As stated by Sonawat (2015) the fact that children from nontraditional families have witnessed divorce, violence and nothing like being submission in relationship makes most of them to be less submission. Children always learn from their parents and old around them, and when a child fails or has never witnessed his or her parents being submissive, then it would be difficult A research has established that children from nontraditional families do not take marriages serious and most of them do not want to get married due to fear of violence and even divorce. This is because they have witnessed divorce and violence in their lives when they were young and such picture continue to remain in their memory and does not allow any to be involved (Heitler, 2012).

Research has also established that children who were raised by both parents have stronger emotional response compared to children raised by single parents (Sonawat, 2015). And therefore, children from traditional families can control their emotion hence avoid violence and conflict which can break a family. It is revealed that nontraditional families are emotional unstable and overreact on issue and this make them not able to stay in a relationship for a longer time. Most marriages or relationship which breaks up either partner were raised by a single parent. Studies have also established that most of them are impatient and cannot fathom relationship issue well and therefore, they are not submission and fail to hold on to their marriages as well. It is argued that, most of them argue that if their parent can make it alone, what of them? And this has made marriages to be unstable and increase the rate of divorce in the society.

Method

The study was conducted using systematic review. Systematic review is the process whereby different literature reviews such as academic journals, peer review, books are relevant articles are critically analyzed to answer the research question. The search was conducted using Google Scholar, Sage Journal and library online platform. A search was conducted using keywords from the research question and the result of the search was properly analyzed and the best academic journals, peer review and other articles were used. In order to properly, conduct the research which can answer the research question accurately and appropriately, a search was conducted using keyword “Are children that come from split/divorced families more defensive/less submissive when it comes to relationships.” The search produced 670 results which were majorly academic journals and peer review. These results were then analyzed and the best 50 sources were separated to be used in this study. The analysis of the sources was based on the date of publication of the academic journal, peer review and other source which were obtained. The qualifications of the author and relevancy to the research question were also considered when analysing the sources to be used.

The advance search was then conducted using keywords such as “divorce families more defensive, less submission in relationship and Children that come from traditional families ” to get more details information regarding the research question. The result of the search was lean but accurate which were then analyzed and used for the study. Based on the analysis from primary search result and secondary search result, 16 sources were decided to be the best and relevant to the study. These sources were published from 2013 and their authors are qualified professionals in the field of psychology and law and therefore, sixteen sources are used in this study to answer the research question.

Results

The study revealed a significant shift in relationship and believes between children from nontraditional families and traditional families. A study conducted by Usaki, Assistant Professor at Sinop University, Turkey indicates that children from nontraditional families are less submission and assertive and aggressive compared to children from traditional families (Usakli, 2013). Usakli (2013) found that there is a correlation between submission and nontraditional and traditional families. The study revealed that 75% of children from nontraditional families are not submission and do not believe in relationship. The out of 30 participants from nontraditional families interviewed agreed that they do not consider marriage and only 20% of them were in a serious relationship, while the rest were in casual relationship or not have any at all (Usakli, 2013). The statistic analysis conducted comparing various populations showed that children from traditional families are committed to relationship, more submission and assertive compared to children from nontraditional families. the comparison was done using Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The MANOVA is the statistical test procedure which is used to compare certain situation or conditions from multivariate or population of several different groups.

The result derived using MANOVA regarding children Action Tendencies Scale on assertiveness, aggressiveness and submission revealed s significant difference between children brought up by tow parents and children brought up single parent. In terms of submissiveness, children brought up by both parents are more submissive compared to children brought up by single parent. Ochiltree illustrated in his book “Stepfathers that the rate of submissiveness is different due to the fact that children learn from their parents and since children from nontraditional families do not experience both parents and such expression or submissiveness is rarely witnessed in their families. The children from nontraditional families end of developing a negative attitude and become less submissive as well (Ochiltree, 2013).

The same study showed that children from traditional families are more submission and respect and consider relationship. The study indicated that 75% of children from traditional families are submissive (Λ) = 0.401, F(3, 146) = 72.72, p<.05. This linear shows the level of aggressiveness, assertiveness and submission and therefore, it is evident that children from traditional families are more submissive compared to children from nontraditional families. The findings of study is related to other studies which had been conducted since the study by Hoffman and Martin (2014), showed that children from nontraditional families casual relationship and therefore, increase the rate of single parents in the society (Hoffman & Martin, 2014).

The critical analysis of other literatures showed a consistent report regarding the correlation between children nontraditional, submission, relationship and children from traditional families. ()study revealed that 70% of children who were raised by single parents end up being single parent. The literature further revealed that 65% of children from nontraditional families end up leading a single life and they are not commitment to have children as well. This means that they do not have serious relationship and therefore, it increases the rate of sexual promiscuity in the society. The study showed a consistent conflict among children who were raised by single parent. It shows that 68% of children from non traditional families are more involve in family conflict compared to children from traditional families. It means that children raised by single parents are high tempered and prefer casual relationship as well (Laffranchini, 2014).

Discussion

Based on the study, it is evident children from nontraditional families are less submission compared to children from traditional families. According to Burns and Rosemary (2012), children are aggressive and assertive and they learn a lot from their parents. However, when a child is raised single handedly by a single parent, a child grows up lacking other aspects of parents love and fails to learn how to be submission. Family is set up and children learn lot from their family than outside, and when a child grows up not witnessing mother loves to father or father loves to mother, then it will be difficult for such as child to submission and show love and respect to his wife or her husband. This is the reason why there is an increase rate of divorce and bisexual in the society (Burns & Rosemary, 2012). The study also showed that children from traditional families are more submission and caring, since they learn to look after their loved ones from their parents. It also indicates that children from traditional families are likely to start relationship and get married. Most importantly, children from traditional families get into relationship and get married as well because everyone in their family is having stable relationship and therefore, nobody would want to break from the traditional. It is the why most children from traditional families end up getting married and make their marriages work well.

However, failure to address the issues which affect children from nontraditional families may lead to high rate of single parents, divorce rate and also sexual promiscuity in the society. Research established that children from nontraditional families prefer casual relationship and they are not submissive as well. The trend can change the lifestyle of the younger generation hence increases chances of early pregnancy, and increase the rate of homosexuality since they might not consider relationship as children from traditional families. It is therefore, essential to address the issues affecting children through guidance and counseling to address their emotion so that their pasts do not influence their future. It is also important for parents to handle divorce or separation maturely to avoid hurting children. In most cases it is advisable to inform children as a parent the reason for divorce or separation and comfort them so that they do not live wondering of what happened or what went wrong with their parents. It will protect them from psychological disorder, and their children would not be growing with bad feelings of relationship and marriage.

It is therefore, recommended to conduct further research on the implication of divorce or separation to parents. The study should focus on the impact it has parents after divorce in order to address the rising rate of divorce rate in the society. Another study should also be conducted to how to address the less submissive among children from nontraditional families so that it can improve the relationship between couples and increase the rate of marriage an stabilize relationship in the society.

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