A CHILD'S DEATH AND DIVORCE: DISPELLING THE MYTH

Abstract

In view of the commonly held assumption about a high divorce rate among bereaved parents, a thorough review of literature was conducted to determine what evidence exists. Evidence was found to indicate that a child's death can strain marital relationships, which may lead to separation and/or divorce in some cases; however, there is no conclusive evidence that bereaved parents are likely to divorce as a result of a child's death. On the contrary, it appears that the majority of marital relationships survive the strain brought about by a child's death and may even be strengthened in the long run. The time it takes for bereaved parents to restore their relationship to the level it was before the child's illness and /or death varies depending on the couple and the circumstances involved. The ultimate effects of a child's death on marriage may not be known until after several years have passed. The quality of marital relationship prior to the child's death, cause of death, and circumstances surrounding the death may produce differential outcomes for the marital relationship. In the process of conducting a literature review, a number of questionable or erroneous citations that professionals made were discovered. In addition to those mistakes, confusion between marital distress and divorce appears to be partially responsible for perpetuating the myth of a high divorce rate among bereaved parents. It is time for professionals to dispel the myth. Recommendations for future research are provided.