Dear Readers: This is, unfortunately, a well-known topic due to the high rates of divorce in our country. At the same time, it is always good to mention more recent research that was published by the American Psychological Association regarding Divorce. These are some of the conclusions from the A.P.A. recent "research and practical considerations related to divorce":

1. Psychosocial well-being decrease in all children as they go through elementary school years. However, children whose parents divorce (or are divorced) have a more sever decrease in their psychosocial well being. They also have a lower average in math and reading scores than children of non-divorced parents. A.P.A. recommended that when treating families with a divorce present, they make sure to check the children's academic performance as well as to provide support and guidance during a divorce process, including to help the family increase social support systems in their everyday lives.

2. Another study by Velez and others (2011) followed families for over 6 years. They provided different interventions, such as a mother program (MP) addressing mental health issues regarding the divorce; another group received a mother program (MP) supplemented by a child program (MPCP), and another group was a "control" group (they did not receive any intervention). Results indicated that the most effective program was found to be the mother program (MP). The conclusion was that parents were the main source of teaching and of helping their children in such difficult times in developing coping mechanisms in stressful times, such as a divorce situation. Thus, psychologists are recommended to work directly with parents in such situations.

3. A third study regarding long term effects of divorce has alarming results: Young male adults who had divorced parents abused alcohol significantly more than any other groups of young adults in a college population in the Midwest (Stringfellow et.al, 2010). The young college male students also reported to have a more promiscuous sexual life than their peers that came from non-divorced families. The implications of such results are that families with a history of divorce may work more actively in helping their young adults in learning the risks of abuse of alcohol and of the dangers of impulsive sexual activity during College. 

4. Finally, a more positive result was reported about the good outcome of Parenting coordination (PC) on positive coping strategies during divorce. PC is becoming a more popular approach to working with parents after the divorce process. It is not part of mediation nor of a child custody evaluation, but it is an alternative way to resolve dispute situations after the divorce to help parents resolve their issues outside of court regarding parenting topics. 

Note that although some of the results described above are not positive, it is important for parents and for professionals to be aware of the dangers and of the vulnerability of children that have a divorce in their families: Helping parents understand such results may lead then to develop preventive interventions, such as focusing more on education about alcohol abuse, as well as other topics mentioned above. Please, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to call or ask Dr. Joffe at her office number (954-341-4441) (PS: If you want details on the references above, please, go to the American Psychological Association website,(www.apa.org).