Parental Separational And Parental Conflict In Adolescence

Adolescence is considered a transitional stage of physical and psychological development. According to Arnett (2016), it is a period of life the life span between the time puberty begins and the time adult status is approached. A time when young people are preparing to take on the roles and responsibilities of adulthood in their culture. It is a time where both disorientation and discovery can occur. This stage in life is associated with self-identity and independence. Several adolescent children face difficult choices regarding sexuality, academic work, social life, drugs, and alcohol. However, this is a period in life where they must separate themselves from their parents and discover who they are. Throughout the course of the semester, …show more content…
Thus, placing them at higher risk for low academic achievements, depression, anxiety, behavioral problems, and substance abuse or dependence. It is hypothesized, adolescents who witnessed parental separation/divorce are more likely to develop behavior problems and abuse illegal substances. For this assignment, I plan to review several scholarly journal articles to support the hypothesis, that parental separation and marital conflict places adolescent children at higher risk for developing or exhibiting both behavioral and substance abuse …show more content…
Divorce or parental separation causes irreparable harm to all parties involved, especially the adolescents. Although some may benefit from it in individual cases, it permanently weakens the family and the relationship between parents and adolescents. Divorcing during adolescences can cause several negative emotions such as bitterness, stress, anxiety, fear, low self-esteem, and abandonment issues. Fagan and Churchill (2012) states, parental separation can diminish the learning capacity and educational attainment causing academic and behavioral