During the last few decades of the twentieth century we have
             witnessed a tremendous change in our family structure. Currently America is
             leading the world in the number of divorces and every year more than a
             million American children are facing the transition into single parenthood.
             The implications of divorce on the general development and psychological
             well-being of the children is a matter of intense interest for
             psychologists and child care professionals. Numerous studies have been
             conducted to understand the negative influence that divorce has on the
             children. The impact of divorce on the different stages of childhood and
             early adulthood has been analyzed and the results clearly indicate a
             negative effect. Let us have a brief overview of the impact of divorce on
             children in general and in the process also study the behavioral
             implications that divorce entails in the different stages of childhood.
             Divorce and its Impact (An overview)
             Children exhibit maladaptive behaviors as a consequence of parental
             divorce. There are both immediate and long-term effects of divorce and also
             the effect of divorce on children varies considerably in accordance to
             their age. Before we dwell into the specifics let us generalize the effects
             of divorce on children. Aggression, anxiety and depression are common post
             divorce symptoms. In general there is an observed decrease in social skills
             due to the insecurity and loss of self-esteem, and drop in academic
             performance. Quoting a study, "...children from disrupted families are
             significantly more likely to express discontent with their lives as
             measured by an index of life satisfaction." [Furstenberg & Teitler, 1994].
             Researchers have also identified that there is a gender related
             difference in the way in which children react to a divorce. Boys in
             particular exhibit withdrawal symptoms and a considerable drop in social
             skills. This is ...