Thirty years later, the myth of the good divorce has not stood up well in the face of sustained social scientific inquiry — especially when one considers the welfare of children exposed to their parents' divorces.
Taking into account both divorce and non-marital childbearing, sociologist Paul Amato estimates that if the United States enjoyed the same level of family stability today as it did in 1960, the nation would have 750,000 fewer children repeating grades, 1.2 million fewer school suspensions, approximately 500,000 fewer acts of teenage delinquency, about 600,000 fewer kids receiving therapy, and approximately 70,000 fewer suicide attempts every year (correction appended). As Amato concludes, turning back the family-stability clock just a few decades could significantly improve the lives of many children.
While I do not know Bradford Wilcox (or his religious convictions), and do not suggest to stand behind all his research, his article entitled The Evolution of Divorce in National Affairs in not only informative but provides a good bit of evidence showing the "myth of good divorce" has been just that (a myth) ... and the consequences have been steep.
In the end, should we be SURPRISED at this??? Even more, should we expect anything better from the new marriage amendments and adoption policies? Time will tell!
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