To: Rebecca Agosta From: Margaret Tilley Date: February 13, 2014 Subject of Inquiry: I will be researching how

the divorce of parents affects children and how it varies from age to age. I will also look at the problems and social skills that children have with married and divorced parents and how they differ from each other. Initial Inquiry Subject: In this project I hope to look at all of the ways divorce affects the children. I want to see how it varies by the age of the kids and the long term and short-term mental and physical effects of not having both parents together. Having parents divorce at such a young age I dont remember much about them ever being together which is more of a reason as to why I want to see how it changes as you get older. I want to see how people with divorced parents believe in things like love and if that differs from people with parents that are still married. I find this topic so interesting because with my parents, they dont like to talk to each other, they fight when they do, and I think with them acting that way for so long has showed my family and I a different view on family and marriage. I also want to research how people view each other with divorced parents and how that changes their identity when around others; if they feel they have to act a certain way or not. Methods: To begin this project I am going to create a survey asking basic short answer questions to people with divorced parents. I want to see how different age groups react and deal with divorce and how that shapes their identity. Another way I want to take this project when doing my research is to talk to different family therapists who deal a lot with divorce and the long term and short term effects it has on children and young adults. I will do research all throughout the community with my survey and also with different therapy pratices throughout Charlotte. The only access and support I think I would need to begin this project so far is the permission of the survey takers to make sure they dont mind there own experiences and stories being shared. Also that the therapists I talk to agree to let what they say be presented publicly. Questions: 1. How does the living arrangement of divorced parents affect children/teens? 2. What is the long term and short term affects of having to deal with divorced parents? 3. How do ones age change how you deal with the separation and the changes of divorced parents? 4. How does the identity of a person change, and does it affect there everyday lives? 5. How do therapists help with the coping process and what role do they play?

6. How do what people say about divorce vs. what therapists differ, and how are they similar? 7. Does having to deal with the time up to the divorce change the views towards love and life? 8. Do people feel they are looked at differently because of having divorced parents?