FAMILY DISINTEGRATION: CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES, SOLUTIONS - PSYCHOLOGY - 2025

The family disintegration is the separation of a couple with children and the consequences that this fact causes. When one of the members of the family nucleus leaves, a destabilization in the functioning of the same is generated. This problem has become increasingly serious in developed societies.

Due to the increasing rate of divorces and separations, more and more families in which the family nucleus is disintegrated. The main affected by this are children, although all the people involved tend to suffer negative consequences.

At the same time, family disintegration may be caused by reasons other than the breakup of the couple. For example, the death of one of the spouses, their transfer to another country or abandonment may also be behind this complex situation.

In this article we will study why exactly family disintegration occurs, as well as what the most serious consequences are and the ways in which we can try to solve it.

Causes

The most basic form of family disintegration is the abandonment of the home by one of the parents. However, this can occur for many different reasons. Here we will see some of the most common.

Divorce

Undoubtedly, one of the factors that has most influenced the increase in cases of family disintegration is the enormous number of divorces that have occurred in Western countries. In recent decades, more and more married couples decide to separate and go their own way.

The causes for the increase in divorces are multiple and very complex. For example, the appearance of laws that allow separation without any negative consequence would be one of the most important.

On the other hand, the woman's access to the world of work and thus her economic independence from her husband has also allowed them to end relationships with which they are not comfortable. This would help explain why more than 70% of divorces and separations are initiated by women.

Finally, in Western societies, we have moved from a model in which the family was valued above all else to being especially concerned about our individual well-being.

In general, this means that if someone feels a problem in a relationship, they tend to end it instead of trying to solve what happens.

Infidelity or abandonment

The cases in which one of the members of the couple cheats on the other or leaves him have also increased greatly in recent decades. In general, this can be even more traumatic for children than an amicable divorce.

The consequences of these situations may be permanent or only temporary separation; But because of the greater emotional burden that they carry, children can be marked even if a reconciliation eventually occurs.

Death of one of the parents

In the event that a parent dies while the children are young, they will suffer many of the consequences of family disintegration caused by other reasons.

Although of course it is impossible to control these situations, it is necessary to be aware of how the death of one of the parents can affect the smallest of the house.

Emigration

Due to the economic instability of certain countries, some family members have to go to live in another country to get money to support their children.

In this case, although there are no serious emotional conflicts between the parents, negative consequences can also occur if the situation is badly managed.

It is also possible that one of the parents has to go to live in another country temporarily for work reasons. This tends to cause fewer problems for children, but it is still a delicate situation.

Domestic violence

One of the most serious reasons for the appearance of family disintegration is violence. When one of the adults attacks the other, the children can be marked psychologically. In these cases, it is usually necessary for them to get help from a professional.

Addiction

Finally, the loss of a parent due to addiction of any kind can also be a very traumatic event for children.

Having an alcoholic father or a mother addicted to gambling will generate all kinds of negative emotions and dangerous situations in the lives of the little ones.

Consequences

Without a doubt, although the members of the separated couple also suffer, those most affected by family disintegration are the children.

Numerous studies suggest that these situations bring all kinds of serious consequences to the lives of the little ones. Here we will see some of the most important.

Violence and crime

Various research suggests that children of broken families tend to be more violent and aggressive than those who have grown up in a safe environment. In addition, they also tend to have more problems with the law.

This seems to be especially true if the member leaving the family is the father, for reasons that are still not entirely clear.

Addictions

Another of the most serious problems of the children of unstructured families is that they can fall more easily into addictions such as alcohol or drugs. This is undoubtedly one of the greatest dangers of these situations for society as a whole.

Psychological disorders

Children of broken families tend to develop mental problems such as depression or anxiety at much higher rates than those who have grown up in stable families. In the most severe cases, this can even lead to self-harm and suicide.

Relationship problems

Children learn to relate to others by observing their parents. In the event that the interaction between them is not the best, the children will grow up without knowing exactly how to behave with other people.

This seems especially true in the case of relationships with the opposite sex. Thus, young people from broken families often show problems finding a partner, or keeping a partner in the long term.

Economic difficulties

Lastly, losing a parent often causes the family to go through more financial difficulties than normal. This has all kinds of negative consequences that are added to those of family disintegration.

Solutions

The increase in cases of family disintegration, and the negative consequences that these situations have, have set off the alarms of experts of all kinds. Thus, psychologists, sociologists and social workers try to find a solution to this serious problem.

Although a definitive answer has not yet been found, there are some measures we can take to prevent the most negative effects of family disintegration.

Emotional education

Teaching people to understand what they are feeling, to understand others, and to work on these two points can have many benefits.

In the case of family breakdowns, it could serve both to prevent some of them and to avoid some of their more serious consequences.

Some experts propose including this topic as a compulsory subject of study in schools and institutes, to educate the following generations from the beginning. However, there is still much to do in this regard.

New family models

With today's high divorce rates, many experts agree that traditional dating relationships no longer work particularly well.

Therefore, it is necessary to find other models that allow us to raise our children without having to suffer when a divorce or serious conflict occurs.

In this sense, there are many proposals. For example, those who see infidelity as the main cause of divorce propose the establishment of open couples as a solution.

Others, who think that the problem is the rush to establish a relationship, believe that the key lies in working on awareness and creating stronger relational skills.

Achieve greater economic stability

One of the reasons that are most cited as a cause for divorce is the appearance of financial problems in the couple. This, in a society in crisis and in which jobs are less and less stable, is becoming an especially common situation.

For this reason, some specialists recommend that couples not have children until they have a stable and secure economic situation.

Thus, many of the causes that lead to separations would simply not appear, and family disintegration could be prevented to some extent.

Professional Help

On some occasions, family disintegration and its consequences cannot be avoided simply with the effort of the couple. In these cases, having the help of a professional specialized in these matters can be very useful.

Thus, the help of a couples psychologist can help avoid separation or divorce if the problems are not especially serious. In the event that it does occur, a therapist can help children deal with the more negative consequences of these types of situations.

References

1. "Family disintegration" in: Living Better. Retrieved on: June 15, 2018 from Vivir Mejor: vivirmejor.org.
2. "Family disintegration: modalities and effects on children" in: Eres Mamá. Retrieved on: June 15, 2018 from Eres Mamá: eresmama.com.
3. "Causes of family disintegration" in: Living Better. Retrieved on: June 15, 2018 from Vivir Mejor: vivirmejor.org.
4. "How does family disintegration affect the child?" in: All Dads. Retrieved on: June 15, 2018 from Todo Papás: todopapas.com.
5. "Family disruption" in: Wikipedia. Retrieved on: June 15, 2018 from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org.