Children, Divorce, Hartgrove Hospital

1. Children, Divorce, and
Independence
Hartgrove Hospital

2. Children, Divo
rce, and
Independence
Hartgrove Hospital has served the Chicago area
for nearly 50 years Hartgrove Hospital provides
inpatient services for children, adolescents and
adults. Hartgrove Hospital also provides Partial
Hospital services for children and adolescents. The
care that is provided at Hartgrove Hospital is
focused on behavioral and mental health issues
and concerns. Among these may be the effects
that a divorce may have on children and
adolescents as well as the family unit as a whole.

3. Children, Divo
rce, and
Independence
The effects of divorce on children have long been a concern of parents and a
source of interest for psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health
professionals. Children of all ages react to divorce, but reactions can differ
greatly among young children (8-9 years) compared to adolescents and young
teens (9-13 years). One of the most contrasting reactions is the child’s need for
independence. Younger children will often become overly dependent during and
after a divorce , as half of their security blanket has effectively been removed.
Older children and young teens conversely will quickly seek avenues of
independence both as a form of rebellion and as a defense mechanism. This is
usually done as a response to a previously secure way of life that is suddenly
undergoing a drastic change. The key to handling these situations is essentially
the same, as both parents must work to reestablish a sense of security and
permanence in their child’s life.
The effects of divorce on children have long been a concern of parents and a
source of interest for psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health
professionals. Children of all ages react to divorce, but reactions can differ
greatly among young children (8-9 years) compared to adolescents and young
teens (9-13 years). One of the most contrasting reactions is the child’s need for
independence. Younger children will often become overly dependent during and
after a divorce, as half of their security blanket has effectively been removed.
Older children and young teens conversely will quickly seek avenues of
independence both as a form of rebellion and as a defense mechanism. This is
usually done as a response to a previously secure way of life that is suddenly
undergoing a drastic change. The key to handling these situations is essentially
the same, as both parents must work to reestablish a sense of security and
permanence in their child’s life.