DIVORCE

MORGAN ROACH
DEFINITION

A divorce happens after a husband and wife decide not to live together anymore and that
they no longer want to be married to each other. They agree to sign legal papers that make
them each single again and allow them to marry other people if they want to.
STATISTICS

In America, there is one divorce approximately every 36 seconds*. That's nearly 2,400 divorces per day,
16,800 divorces per week and 876,000 divorces a year
The average age for couples going through their first divorce is 30 years old
79.6% of custodial mothers receive a support award, while only 29.6% of custodial fathers receive a
support award
If your parents are happily married, your risk of divorce decreases by 14%
About 1% of the total number of currently married same-sex couples gets divorced each year, in
comparison to about 2% of married straight couples
Divorce rate among couples with children is 40% lower than couples without children
75% of children with divorced parents live with their mother
DID YOU KNOW?

Oklahoma has the highest overall divorce rate

Arkansas has the second highest rate of divorce
Alaska's divorce rate is the third highest
2008 voter data shows that "red" states (states that tend to vote Republican), have higher divorce rates
than "blue" states (states that tend to vote Democrat)
29% of Baptists are divorced (the highest for a US religious group), while only 21% of atheists/agnostics
were divorced (the lowest)
If you've attended college, your risk of divorce decreases by 13 percent
SYMPTOMATIC BEHAVIORS

Harming or threatening themselves, other people or pets

Damaging or destroying property
Lying or stealing Loss of Interest in Social Activity
Not doing well in school, skipping school Difficulty Adapting to Change
Early smoking, drinking or drug use
Emotionally Sensitive
Early sexual activity
Feelings of Guilt
Frequent tantrums and arguments
Increase in Health Problems
Consistent hostility toward authority figures
Loss of Faith in Marriage and Family Unit
 RESOURCES/SUPPORTS

A DivorceCare for Kids (DC4K) group is a safe,

CODIP is an evidence-based prevention program
fun place where your children can learn skills
specifically designed to help children cope with
that will help them heal. DC4K groups blend,
challenging family changes. Since its inception in 1982,
games, music, stories, videos and discussion to
CODIP has helped thousands of children in countries
help kids process the divorce and move
around the world, including the United States, Canada,
forward. Groups meet weekly and are designed
New Zealand, and Australia.
for children ages 5-12.
https://www.dc4k.org/ https://www.childrensinstitute.net/programs/codip
STRATEGIES

Encourage kids to openly discuss their feelings positive or negative about what's happening
Keep visible conflict, heated discussions, and legal talk away from the kids
Minimize the disruptions to kids' daily routines
Confine negativity and blame to private therapy sessions or conversations with friends outside the
home
Keep each parent involved in the kids' lives
Be prepared to answer questions
Legitimize their feelings
Offer support
SOURCES

https://www.mckinleyirvin.com/Family-Law-Blog/2012/October/32-Shocking-Divorce-Statistics.aspx
http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/divorce.html?ref=search# and http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/help-
child-divorce.html
https://medlineplus.gov/childbehaviordisorders.html
https://www.familymeans.org/effects-of-divorce-on-
children?gclid=CjwKEAjwgtTJBRDRmd6ZtLrGyxwSJAA7Fy-h8rQrLxiBJBGt5ExTptUcxxjVg4-
XsMjFPUOfbVBx_RoC67Tw_wcB