Hazards of Divorce
We all know the price that children pay when parents are divorced. They may act out in anger, become apathetic or unmotivated in school, and blame themselves or show signs of depression. A new study highlights another aspect of the fallout.
According to a Canadian study at the University of Alberta, divorce can be a predictor of subsequent methylphenidate (ritalin) use by children of broken families. In this study, comprised of 4,700 children from 1994-2000, 6% of children whose parents divorced took ritalin versus only 3% of children whose parents remained married.
Divorce has been called "the modern plague." We need to do all that we can to prevent and ameliorate the forces that lead to it.
According to a Canadian study at the University of Alberta, divorce can be a predictor of subsequent methylphenidate (ritalin) use by children of broken families. In this study, comprised of 4,700 children from 1994-2000, 6% of children whose parents divorced took ritalin versus only 3% of children whose parents remained married.
Divorce has been called "the modern plague." We need to do all that we can to prevent and ameliorate the forces that lead to it.
posted by Dr. Spiegel at
10:28 AM
2 Comments:
I do see your point, but I would be curious to see studies on homes where the parents did stay together (for the children's sake). I can't believe that all the fighting and screaming and chaos is good for the children either! Sure, divorce is horrible, but so is having parents that are abusive to one another. That is not a home either!!!
By
Anonymous, at Monday, June 11, 2007
You've just described the conditions that do necessitate separation and possible divorce. Abuse - whether verbal, physical, emotional or sexual - cannot be condoned. It is the bottom line.
However, hurt and pain are corollaries to marital problems. If the adults can control their behavior and thereby protect the children, then they may still have the resources to resolve their differences.
There can be an "amicable marriage" rather than an "amicable divorce."
Maybe I'm just an optimist at heart.
By
Dr. Spiegel, at Monday, June 11, 2007
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