Introduction
The termination of the union of two legally married people before the law is called divorce (Erdim, L., & Ergün, A., 2016). Divorce, which is seen as a problem of modern societies, first starts with an intellectual stage where people should decide to divorce (Geniş, M., Toker, B., & Şakiroğlu, M., 2019). The intellectual stage is followed by an emotional process and the marriage ends with the legal process (Geniş, M., Toker, B., & Şakiroğlu, M., 2019). Divorce damages the family structure as a whole because of conflicts within the family (Bilici, A., 2014). This event, which is the beginning of a complex new structure for each individual in the family, may have more impact on children because they are the ones most likely to suffer from this new situation (Erdim, L., & Ergün, A., 2016). This disintegration of the family structure, which is the main environment of trust for them, may cause some problems of trust and anxiety (Bilici, A., 2014). However, according to the study conducted by Mert Wide, Bengü Toker, and Mehmet Şakiroğlu (2019), we see that divorce not only causes negative consequences for children, but also positive factors. However, the age and gender of children also have a great impact on the results of divorce (Geniş, M., Toker, B., & Şakiroğlu, M., 2019). In the light of these, we can observe that the consequences of divorce can have many different dimensions, not just one (2019).
The Effects of Divorce on the Child
How the child will be affected by the divorce, the child's age, gender, relationship between parent and child after the divorce and parenting It determines some factors such as the quality of care, changes in the child's lifestyle, possible new partners of the parents and their new marriages (Korlatt, Y., 2003). Along with these factors, divorce affects children emotionally, behaviorally, socially, academically, psychologically and economically (Geniş, M., Toker, B., & Şakiroğlu, M., 2019). Timely support is of the utmost importance for the children of a divorced family, and if not received, the child will feel shame, insecurity, and anxiety or grief because of the situation. Effects such as blaming can be observed (Erdim, L., & Ergün, A., 2016). It is also frequently seen that it causes different problems such as tantrums, late socialization, depression, poor self-perception, and breaking the rules (Geniş, M., Toker, B., & Şakiroğlu, M., 2019). It is observed that children experience problems such as a decrease in support from their parents, some financial difficulties, a decrease in academic life success due to reluctance, and the feeling of isolation and loneliness in their relationships with friends (2019).
Children are negatively affected as a result of divorce. In the observed situations, it has been observed that the parental conflicts occur in front of the child in general, the attitudes and behaviors of the parents in the divorce process are insufficient and inconsistent, the child is not given the chance to express himself freely and freely about the situation, and he experiences negativities such as the changing lifestyle due to the financial difficulties experienced (Geniş, M. , Toker, B., & Şakiroğlu, M., 2019). The children of divorced families who are exposed to these adversities generally run the risk of appearing as individuals with low self-esteem, low self-confidence, behavioral and emotional problems and low academic success (Erdim, L., & Ergün, A., 2016). However, the rate of experiencing problems such as depression and substance use increases in the following years (2016).
On the other hand, as we mentioned before, divorce, which does not only have negative consequences, can also have positive results if managed correctly. . This situation can be observed mostly in parent-child relationships, where the rules and regulations after divorce are made clearly (Korlatt, Y., 2003). The relationship established between the child and the parents has a great impact on the positive effect. Not forcing the children to take sides, giving precise information about the parents not getting together again, not being the child to blame for the divorce, order and stability in the talks with the parents, and finally having an environment where the children can freely express their feelings and thoughts about the divorce, having a quality parent-child relationship are the required qualifications (Broad, M., T. oker, B., & Şakiroğlu, M., 2019).
Other factors that determine how and how much will be affected by divorce are the gender and age of the child (Korlatt, Y., 2003). According to the research of Bilir and Dabanlı (1981), the age and gender group most affected by divorce is 5-6 years for girls and 8-10 years for boys. According to Erdim and Ergün, possible symptoms in preschool children aged 5-6 can be listed as introversion, anxiety, disorder in nutrition and sleep, and behavioral disorders such as bedwetting (2016). For 8-10 year olds, anxiety about the future, socializing late, having problems in relationships with friends and blaming parents can be examples of problems experienced in this age group (2016).
Conclusions and Suggestions
p>As a result, the individuals most affected by divorce within the family are children. However, this does not mean that the effect can only be negative. There are many studies showing that divorce also has positive effects on children. This shows that divorce is actually a multifaceted event. In addition, children get different results from divorce due to their age and gender. How the children will be affected by the divorce is determined by the attitudes and behaviors of the parents after the divorce, the understanding and expression environment they create for the child, and the actions that eliminate the trust and uncertainty to the child, such as providing information with clarity and determination for the next process. Therefore, it is a very important factor to manage this process with professional support before it is too late. It should be kept in mind that when there is no peace in the house and the child is exposed to conflicts between parents every time, this situation is also likely to be negatively affected. Therefore, taking the right steps in line with the necessary support after the divorce will lead to more positive results in terms of creating a healthier environment for the child than living together without divorce and forcing the child to a problematic family environment.
For r, it can be suggested that parents who prefer not to divorce and children of divorced parents should be analyzed comparatively. At the same time, examining children according to their age groups and gender will be strengthening for the conclusion. In addition, analyzes to be conducted with the children of parents who received support immediately after divorce, delayed in receiving support and did not receive support would be useful in observing how these three different conditions affect their children and what symptoms they show.
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