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Depression in Children Caused by Divorce

While divorce is a painful process for all involved, children can be deeply affected when parents separate. One common by-product of divorce is depression in children, a painful and difficult situation for them to deal with.

  1. Significance

    • According to DivorceInfo.com, 2.5 percent of children and 8 percent of adolescents whose parents divorce suffer from depression as part of the the fallout.

    Identification

    • Symptoms of depression in children include sadness, loss of interest in normal activities, concentration and sleep issues and thoughts of suicide and death.

    Types

    • While depression can strike both genders in young children, according to DivorceInfo.com, adolescent girls are twice as likely to be depressed than boys.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Openly communicating with your child can help ease depression caused by divorce. Children should be reassured of your love and given the opportunity to express their feelings.

    Misconceptions

    • Children often believe they played a role in the decision to divorce. Parents should be patient with these misconceptions and children should be reminded the divorce stemmed from no fault of their own.

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