What Are the Causes and Effects of a Broken Family?

By Staff Writer | Last Updated August 4, 2015

There are a number of causes as to why a family could be broken, but divorce and separation are among the most common. Coming from a broken family has many effects on children, including, but are not limited to, insecurity, self-doubt, a lack of confidence and misplaced anger.

When children are younger, many of them have a very specific and more traditional idea of what a family consists of: a father, a mother, and children. When that family is suddenly torn apart, regardless of the reason, it can begin to make kids concerned. Oftentimes, children feel that they are to blame for their broken family, when in most cases, they have nothing to do with it. That’s where these feelings begin to come into play, and children may feel depressed, upset, angry and insecure about their family, as well as about life in general.

However, a divorce between two parents is sometimes the best option for their children. When parents are constantly battling, it is not healthy for a child to be a witness to it every day. Children who encounter parents who are always fighting may lose the attention of their parents, and thus, face the same effects of having a broken family.