NOTES

Since this presentation is primarily designed for Pakistani

schools in order to convince them to hire professional
counsellors, only local statistics of our survey have been used
(we have added 3 global statistics as well).

Whenever the term respondents is used, it refers to the

Pakistani children aged between 13-19 years who took part in
our survey which was about effects of divorce on children.
Their answers reflect their behaviour/emotions at the time of
their parents divorce.

Psychological Effects
1) Stress because
of conflict between
parents.

2) Guilt as they feel

responsible for the
divorce.

3) Anger towards
themselves and
others.

4) Difficulty in social
interactions.

Psychological Effects
5) Defiant behavior resulting from emotional
stress.
6) Feelings of loneliness/isolation.
7) Depression, anxiety and/or suicidal tendencies.

8) Pessimistic approach towards life.

The following is a graph containing our questionnaires responses

about how Pakistani children felt at the time of their parents
divorce.
Local: Feelings at time of divorce table
120%
100%
80%
60%
40%

20%
0%
Helpless Hopeless Anxious

Angry

Changes
in
Changes
Irritable lethargic Reckless appetite in sleep
or
pattern
weight

Self
loathe

Disisnter
Suicidal
ested in
tendenci
daily
es
activities

Yes

67%

78%

67%

89%

89%

67%

100%

56%

78%

44%

44%

33%

No

33%

22%

33%

11%

11%

33%

0%

44%

22%

22%

22%

67%

Sometimes

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

33%

33%

0%

Academic Effects
1) Shorter attention span.
2) Child experiences stress so
performance weakens.
3) Child acts rebelliously so refuses to
study.
4) Single parents are usually too busy
to help children.

Academic Effects

5) Divorced
parents usually
have less money
to afford
educational
tools that may
help their childs
academics.

6) Financial
issues may also
prevent the
children from
going to college.

7) Absenteeism
becomes more
common as
single parents
often find it
difficult to do
the pick/drop
duties.

Academic Effects
8) Anxiety is heightened
in children due to stress
and changes in appetite
and sleep.

Because of this,
academic performance
is adversely affected.

67% of respondents felt

anxious at the time of
their parents divorce.

9) Performance in
Mathematics and other
analytical courses is
particularly affected.
This is because they
demand more
concentration than
other subjects.

56% of respondents agreed

with this.

The following is a graph containing our questionnaires responses

about how Pakistani childrens academic performance was affected
by their parents divorce.
Local: Children of Divorced Parents Academic Effects
80%

70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

Yes
No
Maybe

Do you think your academic

success declined after the
divorce?

Did your academic

performance specifically
worsen in Mathematics and
analytical courses?

As you recovered with the

passage of time, did it get
better?

56%
33%
11%

56%
44%
0%

67%
33%
0%

Financial Effects
1) Most children
live with their
mothers after
divorce.

2) Most women
dont receive the
full child support
payment.

Since women
generally have less
wages than men,
the childs
financial state
suffers.

Researchers have
found that 3 out
of 4 women dont
receive the full
child support
payment
therefore, children
living with their
mothers suffer.

3) About 20% of
divorced mothers
become victims
of poverty.
Because of this,
the standard of
living of their
children lowers
too.

The following is a graph containing our questionnaires responses about

which parent Pakistani children of divorced parents live with.
Local: Which parent do you live with?

33%
Mother
Father
Joint Custody

56%
11%

Observation: The percentage of children living with single mothers is 3 times that
of single fathers.

Financial Effects
4) Due to financial They cannot afford to buy tools
constraints, divorced
like laptops or books.
parents are unable Because of this, their childs
academic performance suffers.
to buy tools that
facilitate their childs
academics.

5) The child may not

able to receive a
good education from
a renowned school
or college.

About 10% fewer children go to

college if their parents are divorced.
If a child does not go to college, his
future is jeopardised as his chances
of getting a decent job are
minimised.

The following are graphs containing our questionnaires responses

about how Pakistani childrens financial situation was affected by
their parents divorce.
Local: Did your financial situation
get affected because of the
divorce?
Yes

No

Maybe

Local: Did it improve or worsen?

(For the 67% who said their financial situation
did get affected)

Improve

Worsen

Unsure

0%
22%
33%

33%

67%
45%

Physical Effects
General lethargy

Children of divorced
parents tend to feel
lazy and physically
exhausted all the
time.
67% respondents
claimed they felt
lethargic.

Changes in
appetite/weight
Many children of
divorced parents
either stop eating,
or eat too much
due to stress and
depression.
56% respondents
agreed with this.

Changes in
sleep pattern

Children of
divorced parents
may sleep too
little or too much.
78% respondents
supported this
statement.

The following is a graph containing our questionnaires responses which compares the
trends of smoking, drinking, drug use and self-harm between the control group and children
of divorced parents.
Control Group

Children of Divorced Parents

33%

33%

22%

11%

33%

22%

11%

0%
Have you tried
smoking?

Have you consumed

alcohol?

Have you ever tried

recreational drugs?

Have you ever tried

self-harm?

Group A: Control Group

Group B: Children of Divorced Parents
Observations:
1) Smoking: Children in Group B are three times more likely to have tried smoking than those in Group A.
2) Alcohol consumption: No one in Group A has ever consumed alcohol, while 22% of children in Group B have.
3) Recreational drug use: Children in Group B are three times more likely to have tried recreational drugs than
those in Group A.
4) Self-harm: Children in Group B are 50% more likely to try self-harm than those in Group A.

Physical Effects
Smoking
It can lead to the following health
menaces:
Lung and blood cancer, clotting, COPDs,
heart diseases etc.

Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol consumption can result in:
Liver, pancreas and brain damage,
thinning of bones, damages to nerves and
the heart.

Physical Effects
Recreational Drug Use
Recreational drug use might result in:
Tremors, slurred speech, throat soreness,
weight gain/loss, chest pain, fever,
insomnia.

Self-harm
Self-harm may lead to:
Scars, disfigurement, bruises, hair loss,
broken bones and even death.

Sources

http://www.divorce.usu.edu/files/uploads/Lesson5.pdf
http://www.divorce.usu.edu/files/uploads/Lesson7.pdf
http://www.demos.org/blog/4/14/14/single-mother-child-poverty-myth
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/surviving-your-childsadolescence/201112/the-impact-divorce-young-children-and-adolescents
http://cpancf.com/articles_files/efffectsdivorceonchildren.asp
http://www.familyfacts.org/briefs/35/family-structure-and-childrenseducation
http://www.healthline.com/health/smoking/effects-on-body
http://www.docgautham.com/disorders/alcoholism
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/addiction/drug-abuse-andaddiction.htm
http://addictioninterventionshelp.com/common-withdrawals-from-anaddiction
http://www.deltamedcenter.com/psychiatric/self-harm/effects-symptomssigns
http://www.timberlineknolls.com/mood-personality/self-injury/signseffects