MISAMIS ORIENTAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Sta. Cruz, Cogon, Balingasag, Mis. Or.

In partial fulfillment of the requirements

in
Practical Research 1
First Semester, SY 2018 – 2019
Under
Ms. Ma. Leona Felice O. Echeveria

A Research Study on
The Causes and Effects of a Broken Family

By
Acao, Kathleen Rose G.
Antenor, Sarah Michelle
Apit, Sunday Dawn P.
Baguio, Arjie C.
 Chapter 1. Introduction

Background

A broken family happens when the parents, which are the mother and father
decided to separate and go in their own ways. Their children is the most affected ones.
Most children that belong from a broken family went to a wrong path or direction, because
of sudden change in their lives.

There are many of these in our society today that is why this study aims to show the
causes and effects of it, so that the researchers can find ways on how to prevent being a
part of a broken family.

Problem Statement

This study aims to answer the question, what is a Broken Family? Specifically, it
also seeks to answer:

a. What causes broken family?

b. When do broken family occur?
c. Is it bad being a part of a broken family?
d. What are the effects of a broken family
e. How to prevent being a broken family?

Goals and Objectives

This study aims to seek information about a broken family. Specifically, about:

a. The causes of broken family.

b. The time when broken family occur.
c. If is it bad being a part of broken family.
d. The effects of broken family.
e. The prevention of being a broken family.

Significance of the Study

This study shows the causes why parents have conflicts and later on separated. It
also shows the effects of separation to the children, like what will happen and what will
they feel after? So that, this study can build ideas on how to prevent a broken family that
will help many families in the future.
Scope and Limitations

This study was limited to the student of Misamis Oriental Institute of Science and
Technology located at Balingasag, Misamis Oriental which are part of what we called
broken family.
 Chapter 2. Review of Related Literature

Broken family: Its causes and effects on the development of children

Abstract

Family is the basic unit of society. This is the most essential component of a
country. A home is that where a family lives. No one wants to lose the secure feeling that
a family provides. No matter how ideal a family in the terms of their relationship, there are
still hardships and misunderstandings that will come along the way. It is just part of any
relationship anyway. But, the sad part is that when one of the family members gave up
and the others have no choice but to accept and let go. Thus, the family starts to be
broken. A broken home can disrupt and confuse a child’s world. Broken family is a major
problem of society that should be given enough attention this paper seeks to explore the
ways and means through which a positive relation in a family could be established

Keywords: Family, Broken family, Hardships

Introduction

Family is said to be the first institution where one starts to equip oneself to grow.
But differences have been found to each family. Having healthy and happy family is what
everyone’s dream. But many could not succeed it. Due to different problems, the healthy
families have been broken up as well. When unwanted things are coming up, many
families have been broken, and the members are separated. This is a tragic happening
out of unrestricted reasons as well as unfortunate reasons. When we say broken family,
it is not distinct and strange thing, rather common and experiencing problem in and
around us. Family life is in a crisis when some problems aroused and which causes
separation of the members in the families, which is simply called broken family. However
a mere separation due to education, job, etc. is not broken family, even though the family
members are staying away from each other. To be broken in the family, there must be
some crises which are arisen out of misconception, mistreating, misunderstanding,
misacceptance, etc. Then the occurring crises lead to the divorce of parents, disposal of
sons or daughters and leaving home by any members of that family. It is very controversial
that whether to claim every splitting up is broken family, while they still run the family well.
There are many families without father, mother, and other members but still conditionally
and systematically running. They may not like to call them broken. Of course they are not
broken, rather just some members left away.
Causes of Broken Family

Parents’ divorce: In anytime, anywhere and anyhow, divorce is not healthy for the
family life. But it happens. Divorce is claimed to be the main reason behind broken family.
The common disputes between a husband and a wife are the financial issue, sexual
misunderstanding, early marriage, teen pregnancy, education, health problem, etc. When
the parents get divorced, usually either of them or sometime both of them leave home.
Then the absence of either or both the parents will affect the family administration, then
family become broken. Divorce is the hardest challenge that can happen to a couple
especially if they have kids. It is painful for the husband and wife to finally end their
marriage but they are two matured individuals who are strong enough to handle changes
in their lives. The impact of this turn of events in a family’s life is more devastating on the
children.

International Journal of Applied Research

Not only that it is painful for them on that moment to hear the news that their
parents are getting a divorce. But the worst that can happen is the long term effect that
can eventually ruin their future. Going through a divorce is a very difficult situation to be
in; usually their children are the ones who always suffer. An argument of the parents is
one of the basic causes of broken families. Money is mostly the cause of the basic cause
of a couples arguments. Too much money in a person's mind can cause greediness; this
will let the person forget about love towards its partner. Another one is unfaithfulness; in
a marriage, the couple must be faithful toward his/her partner. In this situation either the
husband or wife has an affair with other persons that will eventually lead to being unfaithful
to their partner. Loss of trust is another factor. Whenever couple losses trust to each other
they end up in divorce. Trust is an important factor in a marriage, if a person losses trust
to his/her partner, the person either ends up getting a divorce or he/she chooses to have
an affair, first then ends up in divorce. Inability to manage or resolve a conflict is also one
of the causes, in this situation both the husband and the wife fight about something but is
unable to resolve it. This makes the couple thick that they are incompatible in many ways
and how much they try to resolve their incompatibility nothing will happen because they
will both end up fighting again

Death: It is obvious that death reduces the family strength. More adversely death
sometime leads to broken family. Like other reason all death in the family do not
necessarily bring any broken, but by the death of mother or father children become
mother/father less. When children realize that the parent will never return, they get
emotionally disturbed. Moreover if the left partner live a drastic life in search of happiness
after losing his/her partner, the results in the family could not be hale and hearty for the
family life. Then it starts to be broken. In early life, loss of mother is more damaging than
loss of the father. The mother plays a very important role in nurturing the child during the
formative years of life. But as the children grow older, loss of the father is often more
serious than loss of the mother, especially for boys. Sometimes mother may lack the time
and energy to give children the care they need as she has double burden of homemaking
and bread-earning. But if children loss both parents, the effects are doubly serious.

Misconception between family members: Apart from divorce parents and death,
there can be a family problem caused by misconception between the members in the
home. The reason may be differ from each other. However the most common reasons
are drugs, abusing, drinking alcohol, misbehavior manner and doing other intoxicant
things by the father, sons or any other members. Then there comes misconception,
ruining and anger, which in turn caused breaking the relationship of himself and herself
from the family.

Unconditional administration: Failure in administration in the family is one cause

for the breaking up of family. If the father or mother or any other heads fail to administer,
there will be problems among the members of the family. They will be free to do whatever
and however they like in the home and outside. Then the unsystematic and improper
living will affect the remaining relationship in the family. If the relationship has been
worsening, there will definitely be losing of caring which can lead to broken in the family.

Parental or friends influence: Another reason why a family has broken up is

because of parental or friends influence. When a third party has involved itself in the
matters inside the home, bad-mouthing will just likely to happen and misunderstanding
will only grow worse. Everyone has friends; we used to share our problems with them.
But there can be negative impact. To whom we thought helps will come, another
unexpected advice may come. Many a time, broken family, particularly splitting up of
parents took place due to the influences made by our friends.

Problems faced by the children of broken family

The members of family constitute the child’s first environment and are the most
significant people during the early years of life. The kind of family in which children grow
up affects their development by determining the kind of relationship they share with
different family members. Home provides children with feelings of security and stability.
These are essential for personal and social adjustment. Anything that interferes with
these feelings can be regarded as hazardous for children. Hazardous relationships
involve all family members and the possibility of a broken home becomes greater.

1. To the children: Children are the ones who suffer most of broken family. The
immediate effect has been shot upon them. When a couple split up, it is the children that
are greatly affected scarring them physically, emotionally and socially. Children are
supposed to grow up in a healthy family where they could receive love, care and concern
from their parents. However in the broken family, from where children would get such love
and care? It is, therefore, children of the broken family are normally growing up with
having low and bad manner. Children who make problem, rivalry and discontentment in
the school or other gathering place are usually from the broken family. Most of children
admitted in the Remand home, or other social centers due to some serious mistakes are
brought up from broken family where there is no proper administration and proper living
standard. Broken family is followed by financial problems generally. That is why; there
are more tendencies for children to do stealing and robbing. A broken home can make a
child insecure. Insecure, in a sense that he no longer had a complete family he can call
his own. For a child’s mind, a family is composed of a father, mother and children. And
living without either his father or mother will create fear and insecurities in him. This feeling
of insecurities will even trigger if he is around his friends who are living a normal, complete
and happy life. This is especially true in school events where the parents’ presence are
required. There are plenty of school activities that involves the parents and seeing scenes
like these will even make him feel ashamed of his family situation. The insecurities, self-
doubt and lack of confidence in a child can eventually make him uninterested in school.
More often, those who are out of school are products of a broken home. Sometimes a
child’s reaction on his parents’ announcement of a divorce is not visible. He keeps to
himself the pain, shock and anger he feels. This in turn makes him vulnerable
International Journal of Applied Research to anger, depression, revenge, alcohol, crimes,
drugs and so on. He makes these as his outlets. Too much depression, alcohol addiction
and drug dependency, if left untreated, can make him mentally ill or can turn him into a
criminal. He may even attempt to kill himself if he can no longer handle all the misfortunes
which he thinks is killing him softly. Although, let’s say, one parent is still guiding his child,
sometimes the traumatic effect of a divorce is just too much for a child to handle that he
may even lost interest in life itself.

2. To the parents: The consequence of broken family to the parent is caused by death
and other reasons apart from divorce. When they lose their children, they develop grieve
and anxiety. Their mental suffering adversely affects their health. There are some parents
lost their health and eventually died. There the breaking of the family is great lost for each
and every members of the family.

3. To the Society: Broken family is a major problem of the society that should be given
enough attention. The behavior of family setup affects the social, economic and political
aspects of a country. More broken families produce more negative affects in the society.
Society is built up with communitarian life of the people who live there in. However just
and pleasant society will last on the strength and capacity of mutual care to each other.
There should be proper living standard. In the mean time, society used to have serial
problems of robbing, killing, raping, stealing, disturbing others, making some noise, etc.
It is said that all these societal problems are coming out of people who do not get proper
teaching at their home; usually those are broken families.

Another Effects of Broken Homes on Children

The effects of a broken family on child’s development depends on numerous

factors, including her age when her parents separation, and development on her
personality and family relationships. Although infants and young children may experience
few negative developmental effects, older children and teenagers may experience some
problems in social, emotional and educational functioning.

Emotional

After a divorce, children from pre-school through late adolescence can experience
deficits in emotional development. Children of all ages may seem tearful or depressed,
which is a state that can last several years after a child’s parents’ have separated,
explains psychologist Lori Rappaport. Additionally, some older children may show very
little emotional reaction to their parents’ divorce. Rappaport explains that this may not be
developmentally beneficial. Some children who show little emotional response are
actually bottling up their negative feelings. This emotional suppression makes it difficult
for parents, teachers and therapists to help the child process her feelings in
developmentally appropriate ways. Children tend to have a hard time dealing with
change. When a parent leaves the family, a stepparent joins the family, or the child
doesn't feel like their emotional needs are being met by their mother, they may express
feelings of anger, resentment, confusion and jealousy. This can bring on loneliness,
isolation, depression and low self-esteem if children don't know how to express their
feelings properly.

Educational

Slowed academic development is another common way that divorce affects

children. The emotional stress of a divorce alone can be enough to stunt your child’s
academic progress, but the lifestyle changes and instability of a broken family can
contribute to poor educational outcomes. This poor academic progress can stem from a
number of factors, including instability in the home environment, inadequate financial
resources and inconsistent routines.

Social

Divorce affects children’s social relationships in several ways. First, some children
act out their distress about their broken family by acting aggressive and by engaging in
bullying behavior, both of which can negatively affect peer relationships. Other children
may experience anxiety, which can make it difficult for them to seek positive social
interactions and engage in developmentally beneficial activities such as teen sports.
Teens from broken families might develop a cynical attitude toward relationships and
harbor feelings of mistrust, both toward their parents and potential romantic partners,
explains psychologist Carl Pickhardt in the article, ''Parental Divorce and adolescents''
published in Psychology Today.

Family Dynamics

By its very nature, divorce, changes not only the structure of the family but also its
dynamics. Even if you and your spouse have an amicable divorce, simply creating two
new households permanently alters family interactions and roles. Based on the new living
arrangements, your children may need to perform more chores and assume additional
roles in the new household's basic functioning. Additionally, in some broken families, older
children may take on a parentaltype role when interacting with younger siblings because
of their parents’ work schedules or inability to be present in the way that the parents were
before the divorce.

Behavior & learning problems

Children may experience behavior problems at school with teachers, acting out
against peers, and generally not wanting to cooperate with any assignments or
instructions, and they also may have difficulties concentrating and understanding
assignments. Children might lean toward the negative side to peer pressure. At home,
children may act out against siblings, their biological parent and a possible stepparent. It
was found that adolescents had fewer behavior problems if there is a positive relationship
not only with biological parents, but if stepparents are involved, specially a strong
relationship with stepfathers.

High levels of parent-child disagreements

If children are confused with different things going on in the family or at school and
they have feelings of frustration, more disagreements may occur. Behavior problems tend
to increase for boys when a step-father is introduced to the family.

Low levels of parent-child interactions

In single family homes, children develop greater autonomy where they tend to
spend more time alone or with peers. It was found that sons are more likely to resist
directives and rules, where as daughters typically have a closer relationship to their
mother. However, if mothers inappropriately discuss financial matters with their children
or express a negative feeling toward their ex-spouse, it can decrease the desire for the
child to spend time with the parent due to increase confusion about the whole situation.

Adjustment problems

Adjusting issues that children may have include academic problems, internalizing
and externalizing problems, low self-esteem, and early engagement in sexual activities

How to overcome from the problems of broken family

1. Re-marriage: If it is possible, remarriage is the first medicine to provide for broken

family, particularly divorcing broken. But it may be difficult to remarry, basing on the
situation how they get divorced. The divorced parents must reconsider the future effects
of their deeds to their children. The children may grow up with having step-family or rather
they will lose their nature of life if the family goes on as broken. To remarry, trying to
develop new positive relationships within the family or between the couple is very
necessary. Majority of the children support the remarry of their parents.

2. Coping with the conflict: This is the other step that we can look for the solution of
broken family. To remarry, coping with the problem is a must. Let the parent started to
use their strength to cope with the difficulties in the family, the children will follow.

3. Forgiveness in the family: Family problems have to be found in every home, whether
is any kind of family. Due to some conflicts and some mistakes we made, the other
members got discontentment. Whenever problems come in the family, mutual forgiveness
is the needed step to be taken. Forgiveness will prevent the splitting up and it will also
restructure the relationship.

4. Going on with the matter: Sometime there are impossibilities to cope with the
problems, and unsolvable splitting has come. In that situation, remaining members need
to strengthen themselves to go on with the matter. Whether they may lose father or
mother, son or daughter, if there is no hope to get back the lost ones, they should go on
with trying to have the proper running family. Here preparing them to have courage to go
on is our responsibility.

5. Keeping family relationship unchanged: This is preventing suggestion that the

family need to keep the relationship of the members unchanged or more keeping it more
strength. To have that kind of family, there should be proper arrangement of doing things
together. Some suggestions are:

 Having family day once a week. Let a different family member choose the “perfect day”
each week, keeping in budget, of course.
 Praying on family day: Even if only for a few minutes, praying together creates better
relationship.

 Planning a break away from everyone and everything except spouse and children for
some time is sometime to be practiced.

 Engage teens in the planning process: Letting children or teens to help the father with
research, reservations, and ideas is very meaningful points. Adventure is important, and
can make you “way cool” to your teen.

 Find something to do together. Doing something together as couple or family is another

ideal developing relationship. Nearly any activity done together can inspire
communication.

Definition of Terms

Family- a group of persons united by the ties of marriage, blood, or adoption, constituting
a single household and interacting with each other in their respective social positions,
usually those of spouses, parents, children, and siblings

Broken Family-was caused by a divorce, abuse, neglect, or the death of a parent at a

young age.

Hardship- severe suffering or privation.

Divorce- also known as dissolution of marriage, is the process of terminating a marriage

or marital union.

Argument- an exchange of diverging or opposite views, typically a heated or angry one

Affair- an event or sequence of events of a specified kind or that has previously been
referred to.

Drastic- likely to have a strong or far-reaching effect; radical and extreme.

Influence- the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of

someone or something, or the effect itself.

Misconception- a view or opinion that is incorrect because it is based on faulty thinking or

understanding.

Communitarian- is a philosophy that emphasizes the connection between the individual

and the community. Its overriding philosophy is based upon the belief that a person's
social identity and personality are largely molded by community relationships, with a
smaller degree of development being placed on individualism.
Untreated- (of a patient, disease, or other condition) not given medical care.

Insecurities- uncertainty or anxiety about oneself; lack of confidence.

Grieve- suffer grief.

Anxiety- a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or

something with an uncertain outcome.

Resentment- bitter indignation at having been treated unfairly.

Cynical- Believing that only selfishness motivates human actions; not believing in
disinterested points of view; feeling uncertain if something will happen or it is worth the
effort spent. Showing contempt for accepted standards of honesty or morality by one's
actions

Suppression the action of suppressing something such as an activity or publication.

Isolation- the process or fact of isolating or being isolated.

Self-esteem - confidence in one's own worth or abilities; self-respect.

Remarry- marry again.

Discontentment- Unhappiness caused by the failure of one's hopes, desires, or

expectations: disappointment, discontent, disgruntlement, dissatisfaction, letdown,
regret.
 Chapter 3. Methodology

Research design

The type of research we use is Correlational research is a type of non-

experimental research method, in which a researcher measures two variables,
understands and assess the statistical relationship between them with no influence from
any extraneous variable.

Research Location

This study is located at Misamis Oriental Institute of Science and Technology (MOIST).

Respondent of the Study

The following respondent of this study are the Senior High School student of Misamis
Oriental Institute of Science and Technology (MOIST).

Name Grade Age

Optional 1 Grade 11 16
Optional 2 Grade 11 16
Optional 3 Grade 12 17
Optional 4 Grade 12 17
Optional 5 Grade 12 17
Optional 6 Grade 12 18
Optional 7 Grade 12 22
Optional 8 Grade 11 18
Optional 9 Grade 11 16
Optional 10 Grade 11 16
Sampling Method

The sampling method we use is Simple random sampling where respondent not
chosen randomly

Data Gathering Procedure

The Data Gathering Procedure we use is Questionnaire a set of printed or written

questions with a choice of answers, devised for the purposes of a survey or statistical
study.
 Chapter 4. Data Analysis

This table show the question. With whom are you living?

Respondents Answers
Optional 1 Guardian
Optional 2 Guardian
Optional 3 Father
Optional 4 Mother
Optional 5 Guardian
Optional 6 Other
Optional 7 Guardian
Optional 8 Guardian
Optional 9 Mother
Optional 10 Guardian
Table1.1

Out of ten respondents, one is living with father, one is living with others, two are living
with mother and six are living with guardian.

Therefore it conclude that after their parents separation, the children mostly live with
their guardians, which either their father or their mother.

This table show the question. Since when did you experience having a broken family?

Respondents Answers
Optional 1 0-5 years old
Optional 2 0-5 years old
Optional 3 11-15 years old
Optional 4 16 years old and above
Optional 5 6-10 years old
Optional 6 16 years old and above
Optional 7 0-5 years old
Optional 8 0-5 years old
Optional 9 0-5 years old
Optional 10 11-15 years old
Table 1.2

The table shows that out of the ten respondents, five answered that they experience
having a broken family when they are 0-5 years old, only one when
he/she is 6-10 years old, two when they are 11-15 years old and another two when they
are 16 years old and above.

Therefore it conclude that married couple often separated when their child is/are in the
age between 0-5 years old. So lots of children experiencing broken family in young age.

This table show the question. How many siblings so you have?

Respondents Answers
Optional 1 2
Optional 2 Only child
Optional 3 3 and above
Optional 4 3 and above
Optional 5 3 and above
Optional 6 3 and aboveabove
Optional 7 3 and above
Optional 8 3 and above
Optional 9 3 and above
Optional 10 Only child
Table 1.3

Out of ten respondents, two stated that they are the only child, another two stated that
they have two siblings, and six stated that they have 3 and above numbers of siblings.

Therefore it conclude that most of broken families have 3 or more children each which
are affected.

This table show the question. Does having a broken family have a negative effect on your
social life?

Respondents Answers
Optional 1 No because I don’t mind it
Optional 2 No because my mom and dad give me
everything I want, the support and live.
Optional 3 Yes because when I saw a complete
family, I feel awful and unlucky
Optional 4 Yes
Optional 5 Yes because it affect my schooling
 Optional 6 Yes because not having the both parents
is difficult, For me it has a big effect in my
studies.
Optional 7 Yes
Optional 8 Yes
Optional 9 Yes
Optional 10 No, because I don’t really mind
Table 1.4

Three out of ten answered that having a broken family have no negative effects on
their social life, mostly because they don’t mind it at all. While seven out of ten answered
that it have negative effects on their social life mostly in their studies. To them not being
their parents is difficult and it doesn’t feel right.

Therefore it conclude, that having a broken family have negative effects to the
children’s social life and emotional status are affected when both parents are not around
anymore.

This table show the answer. How many friends do you have?

Respondents Answers
Optional 1 8 and above
Optional 2 8 and above
Optional 3 1-3
Optional 4 8 and above
Optional 5 8 and above
Optional 6 8 and above
Optional 7 8 and above
Optional 8 8 and above
Optional 9 8 and above
Optional 10 8 and above
Table 1.5

Nine out of ten answered that they have 8 above numbers of friends and only one
answered that he/she have 1-3 friend/s

Therefore it conclude that even their parents are separated, they still have a lot of friends
around.
 Chapter 5. Conclusion

This study found out that, these issues prevent us from being happy, successful
and healthy specially, for those who’ve experienced it. And those issues prevent from
being happy family, successful marriage or parents, and having a healthy living with your
family. There are many reason of having a broken family but the question for these is they
can handle it well? Or they just realized that it’s not easy having what we say having a
“perfect family?” Because having a family have a lot of challenges, where some couples
can’t handle it well and as a result they want to just separate from each other for they
know that being separate from each other is the best way to solve the problem. Being a
part of a broken family is not bad at all, as long as you are being motivated to keep going
on to your life and just don’t mind the past. Because being negative at all times can’t give
you the right way to being a successful. Always think positive that you can handle it very
well, don’t mind what other say to you as long as you’re trying to make yourself better.
Always imagine that you’re lucky because your parents take a risk just to make you alive
in this world.

And being in this situation can gain you to become responsible and independent to
yourself. But there are a lot of effects being a broken family, one of them is the depression
that other can lead to suicide, while others for those children who’ve being part of it are
they’ve rebel to their parents. One of the affected through it is their education where they
can get poor grades because of emotional stress. Lastly, to their social life where they
don’t want to interact with other people. The first thing you need to prevent these problem
is lots of prayer. Next, a humble heart as you seek to mend. If you don't have this part,
the situation will just get worse. Realize that you can only do your part, you can't do God's
part or the other person's. For instance, you cannot force someone to forgive you or even
listen to what you have to say. Sometimes a letter to the person is better than a personal
confrontation. Let the Holy Spirit guide you what method to use. Use creative means to
solve differences. Our God is a creative God, therefore he will have a creative solution.
His ways are above our ways, so we need his wisdom for these thorny problems.
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