This document discusses divorce, including definitions, statistics, resources, and strategies for coping. It notes that a divorce occurs when a married couple decides to end their legal marriage and become single again. Approximately 876,000 divorces occur in the US each year, with the average age being 30. Resources mentioned include support groups for children like DivorceCare for Kids, which helps them process the divorce. Suggested coping strategies include openly discussing feelings, minimizing conflict children see, and keeping each parent involved.

1. DIVORCE
MORGAN ROACH

2. DEFINITION
• A divorce happens after a husband and wife decide not to live together anymore and that
they no longer want to be married to each other. They agree to sign legal papers that make
them each single again and allow them to marry other people if they want to.

3. STATISTICS
• In America, there is one divorce approximately every 36 seconds*. That's nearly 2,400 divorces per day,
16,800 divorces per week and 876,000 divorces a year
• The average age for couples going through their first divorce is 30 years old
• 79.6% of custodial mothers receive a support award, while only 29.6% of custodial fathers receive a
support award
• If your parents are happily married, your risk of divorce decreases by 14%
• About 1% of the total number of currently married same-sex couples gets divorced each year, in
comparison to about 2% of married straight couples
• Divorce rate among couples with children is 40% lower than couples without children
• 75% of children with divorced parents live with their mother

4. DID YOU KNOW?
• Oklahoma has the highest overall divorce rate
• Arkansas has the second highest rate of divorce
• Alaska's divorce rate is the third highest
• 2008 voter data shows that "red" states (states that tend to vote Republican), have higher divorce rates
than "blue" states (states that tend to vote Democrat)
• 29% of Baptists are divorced (the highest for a US religious group), while only 21% of atheists/agnostics
were divorced (the lowest)
• If you've attended college, your risk of divorce decreases by 13 percent

5. SYMPTOMATIC BEHAVIORS
• Harming or threatening themselves, other people or pets
• Damaging or destroying property
• Lying or stealing
• Not doing well in school, skipping school
• Early smoking, drinking or drug use
• Early sexual activity
• Frequent tantrums and arguments
• Consistent hostility toward authority figures
• Loss of Interest in Social Activity
• Difficulty Adapting to Change
• Emotionally Sensitive
• Feelings of Guilt
• Increase in Health Problems
• Loss of Faith in Marriage and Family Unit

6. RESOURCES/SUPPORTS
A DivorceCare for Kids (DC4K) group is a safe,
fun place where your children can learn skills
that will help them heal. DC4K groups blend,
games, music, stories, videos and discussion to
help kids process the divorce and move
forward. Groups meet weekly and are designed
for children ages 5-12.
https://www.dc4k.org/
CODIP is an evidence-based prevention program
specifically designed to help children cope with
challenging family changes. Since its inception in 1982,
CODIP has helped thousands of children in countries
around the world, including the United States, Canada,
New Zealand, and Australia.
https://www.childrensinstitute.net/programs/codip

7. STRATEGIES
• Encourage kids to openly discuss their feelings — positive or negative — about what's happening
• Keep visible conflict, heated discussions, and legal talk away from the kids
• Minimize the disruptions to kids' daily routines
• Confine negativity and blame to private therapy sessions or conversations with friends outside the
home
• Keep each parent involved in the kids' lives
• Be prepared to answer questions
• Legitimize their feelings
• Offer support

8. SOURCES
• https://www.mckinleyirvin.com/Family-Law-Blog/2012/October/32-Shocking-Divorce-Statistics.aspx
• http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/divorce.html?ref=search# and http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/help-child-
divorce.html
• https://medlineplus.gov/childbehaviordisorders.html
• https://www.familymeans.org/effects-of-divorce-on-children?gclid=CjwKEAjwgtTJBRDRmd6ZtLrGyxwSJAA7Fy-
h8rQrLxiBJBGt5ExTptUcxxjVg4-XsMjFPUOfbVBx_RoC67Tw_wcB
Video
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbTFZ8cvHo4
Activities
• http://extension.missouri.edu/p/GH6602