Children's perceptions of divorce

Abstract

The ways in which children perceive and respond to parental divorce vary by age, gender, level of parental conflict, caretaking arrangements, individual personality and resilience, availability of support networks, and, of special concern here, their level of cognitive development. Piagetian theory necessarily serves as the underpinning of the discussion, which is amplified by research. The importance of professionals being aware of the impact of cognitive maturity on children's perceptions and consequent responses is stressed in the conclusion.