Divorce and the American teenager

Divorce is woven into the fabric of today's American society, and parents and professionals alike are concerned about the effects of divorce on children of all ages. Research in this area is in its infancy, particularly research about how divorce effects teenagers, but research thus far has helped us to appreciate that divorce is difficult for children of all ages. This paper considers the effects of divorce on teenagers by drawing from existing research and clinical experiences with teenagers. The focus of this presentation is how teenagers feel when parents divorce and how they behave in response to divorce. The purpose of this focus is to provide those who interact with teenagers a greater understanding of how teenagers react to divorce.