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 disorders which several of them go through during the divorce or separation process. However, this study is focused on investigating the effect it has on millennials to marriages, relationships, and sexual lives in society. In order to complete the study, several literature reviews were analyzed and presented 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. Therefore, it can impact negatively 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 relationships. Children who come from nontraditional families struggle with the idea of relationships than children brought up by both parents. The research paper will focus on how millennials are affected by single parenting. John and Linda (2013) pointed out that children are more assertive when it comes to communication and expression. They tend to get affected by people around them, and therefore, most of them blame themselves for the divorce or separation of their parents, which makes them grow up disliking relationships.
According to Johnson and Linda (2013), the separation and the environment in which children from nontraditional families are brought up makes them believe that relationships do 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 relationships, and it makes it difficult to find such individuals in a long-term relationship. Children learn from their parents, and being brought up by single parents makes an individual believe there is nothing important in a relationship. This study, therefore, addresses the issues that 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 who come from split/divorced families more defensive/less submissive when it comes to relationships vs. Children who come from traditional families?
Statement of the Problem
Several children from nontraditional families have developed negative feelings towards relationships and marriages, which is creating a negative impact on society. The change in attitude toward relationships has created a decline in monogamy and marriages. As a result, several young people do not want to commit to marriage, hence increasing the rate of divorce and separation as well. Surveys have indicated that about 75% of children who come from nontraditional families are single and not interested in starting a serious relationship (Johnston, Johnston, & Janet, 2015). Statistically, if such a trend continues, then it means the majority of young people will not get married, and the rate of divorce will increase, and this will make it difficult to have a normal family setup. It is, therefore, essential to take action that can address issues that cause an increase in divorce in society and bring families together so that future cases of divorce and separation are reduced.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to investigate key factors in the millennial generation that have caused a tremendous change and a decline in marriages, casual dating or relationships, sexual promiscuity, and high divorce rates within the last twenty years.
Are children who come from split/divorced families more defensive/less submissive when it comes to relationships vs. Children who come from traditional families?
Significance of the study
The finding of this study could be importance in two ways. First, it can bring awareness of the increase in multiple generations and the effect a nontraditional family can have psychologically on the children involved, which in return leads to a decline 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 that can address, identify, and eliminate the inner conflicts and negative attitudes that are associated with relationships and marriage. Therefore, as a result of this study, the rate of marriages can increase, and children from nontraditional families can recognize marriages and relationships as an important aspect of 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 who come from a traditional family have a higher chance of being successful in life.
Limitations of the study
The way children view relationships is very different, and the way nontraditional families view marriage and relationships is different, and this affects the study. There is a chance that views on relationships may vary depending on the child/parent relationship, financial stability, and time of family separation. It is noted that children from nontraditional families develop a negative perception of marriages and relationships, which has created a 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 breaks 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 until their adult age. However, imagining such beliefs traumatizes children from nontraditional families, and therefore, they develop bad attitudes toward relationships and marriage. Research has also indicated that children from nontraditional families experienced difficult times 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 images to their adult age and, therefore, affect them in their later life when they have a family.
Behavioral Adjustment following divorce of children
A study conducted regarding the behavior adjustment of children whose parents are divorced shows that most children suffer from psychological trauma, stress, and lower academic performance, which sometimes interfere with their lives. According to a report by Health Canada (2014), the number of children being treated for psychological disorders is common among divorce families compared to traditional families. Heitler (2012) stated that it takes children to adjust to conditions or situations, and in the process, most of them regret being in the situation. Therefore, it makes them discard relationships 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 her parents being submissive, they learn and become submissive in life. It is finding it difficult for children from divorced of separated families to be submissive because they believe relationships and marriage have hurt them.
Studies revealed that the effect of divorce affects children at the age of 12 years and below psychologically and develops behavioral problems. It is because children at that age depend on their parents and are protected by their teachers. And therefore, separation or divorce hurts them. It makes children feel abandoned, and in effect, they grow up knowing people can divorce and live separate lives (Berg & Beveridge, 2014). This sticks to their minds, and when they become adults, it becomes 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 relationships and hence increase the rate of sexual promiscuity in society. Divorce hurts and traumatizes children; it affects children psychologically and requires psychological treatment for them to forget the past and start a new page in their lives.
However, drama and psychological disorders make children from nontraditional families 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 submissive in a relationship makes most of them 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 pictures continue to remain in their memory and do 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). Therefore, children from traditional families can control their emotions hence avoid violence and conflict, which can break a family. It is revealed that nontraditional families are emotionally unstable and overreact to issues, and this makes them unable to stay in a relationship for a longer time. In most marriages or relationships that break up, either partner was raised by a single parent. Studies have also established that most of them are impatient and cannot fathom relationship issues 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? This has made marriages to be unstable and increased the rate of divorce in society.
Method
The study was conducted using a systematic review. Systematic review is the process whereby different literature reviews such as academic journals, peer reviews, books are relevant articles are critically analyzed to answer the research question. The search was conducted using Google Scholar, Sage Journal, and library online platforms. 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 reviews, and other articles were used. In order to properly conduct research that can answer the research question accurately and appropriately, a search was conducted using the 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 sources that were obtained. The qualifications of the author and relevancy to the research question were also considered when analyzing the sources to be used.
The advanced 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 the primary search results and secondary search results, 16 sources were decided to be the best and most relevant to the study. These sources were published in 2013, and their authors are qualified professionals in the field of psychology and law therefore, sixteen sources are used in this study to answer the research question.
Results
The study revealed a significant shift in relationships and beliefs 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 submissive, 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 relationships. 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 a casual relationship or did not have any at all (Usakli, 2013). The statistical analysis conducted comparing various populations showed that children from traditional families are committed to relationships, 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 that is used to compare certain situations or conditions from multivariate or populations of several different groups.
The result derived using MANOVA regarding children’s Action Tendencies Scale on assertiveness, aggressiveness, and submission revealed s significant difference between children brought up by two parents and children brought up by single parents. In terms of submissiveness, children brought up by both parents are more submissive compared to children brought up by single parents. 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, such expression or submissiveness is rarely witnessed in their families. The children from nontraditional families end up developing a negative attitude and become less submissive as well (Ochiltree, 2013).
The same study showed that children from traditional families are more submissive and respect and consider relationships. 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 the study are related to other studies which had been conducted since the study by Hoffman and Martin (2014), which showed that children from nontraditional families have casual relationships and, therefore, increase the rate of single parents in society (Hoffman & Martin, 2014).
The critical analysis of other literature showed a consistent report regarding the correlation between children who are nontraditional, submission, relationships, and children from traditional families. The study revealed that 70% of children who were raised by single parents end up being single parents. The literature further revealed that 65% of children from nontraditional families end up leading a single life, and they are not committed to having children as well. This means that they do not have serious relationships, and therefore, it increases the rate of sexual promiscuity in society. The study showed a consistent conflict among children who were raised by single parents. It shows that 68% of children from nontraditional families are more involved in family conflict compared to children from traditional families. It means that children raised by single parents are high-tempered and prefer casual relationships as well (Laffranchini, 2014).
Discussion
Based on the study, it is evident children from nontraditional families are less submissive 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 submissive. Family is set up, and children learn a lot more from their family than outside. When a child grows up not witnessing mother love to father or father love 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 increased rate of divorce and bisexual in society (Burns & Rosemary, 2012). The study also showed that children from traditional families are more submissive 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 relationships and get married. Most importantly, children from traditional families get into relationships and get married as well because everyone in their family has to have a stable relationship, and therefore, nobody would want to break from the tradition. It is why most children from traditional families end up getting married and make their marriages work well.
However, failure to address the issues that affect children from nontraditional families may lead to a high rate of single parents, a divorce rate, and also sexual promiscuity in the society. The research established that children from nontraditional families prefer casual relationships and they are not submissive as well. The trend can change the lifestyle of the younger generation, hence increasing chances of early pregnancy and increasing the rate of homosexuality since they might not consider relationships as children from traditional families. It is, therefore, essential to address the issues affecting children through guidance and counseling to address their emotions 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 of the reason for divorce or separation and comfort them so that they do not live wondering what happened or what went wrong with their parents. It will protect them from psychological disorders, and their children will not be growing with bad feelings of relationships 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 on parents after divorce in order to address the rising rate of divorce rate in society. Another study should also be conducted on how to address the less submissive children from nontraditional families so that it can improve the relationship between couples, increase the rate of marriage, an stabilize the relationship in the society.
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