Broken homes/single parents issues and psychological impact on children and family - Research Paper Example

Generally, two persons either they are parent-child, husband-wife, brother-sister make family. Sociologist, psychologists and social psychologists have defined family in different ways. Here, the term ‘Family’ has been conceptualized as the mutual agreement of two persons to be connected in a legal relationship, have sexual bond and extend their family by having children. But when both parents decided to leave each other and any one of them become responsible to raise his or her child, family converts into broken family or single parent family.

Broken home is place where both biological parents of a child discontinue their family relationship and child lives with any one of them (Campbell, 1932). However, broken families differ due to structure. Some researchers studied single-father and father-stepmother as a single-parent or broken family (Biblarz & Raftery, 1999). Some researchers consider single mother family or single-mother family as single-parent family (McLanahan & Sandefur, 1994). For the present study, broken home is operationally defined as a home where child is living with one of his or her biological parent.

The prevalence rate of broken families is rapidly increasing. Garasky & Meyer (1996) estimated 15 percent prevalence rate of all single-parent families, whereas trend of single-father family is increasing (Demuth & Brown, 2004). However, both kinds of broken families exist in most of the countries. Several investigations have been done to explore the social and economical factors which trigger the family dissolution or divorce. Researchers found out that a strong association of broken families (divorced) with, socio-economic.

This research aims to evaluate and present factors that play a significant role in breaking family relations. Socio-economic status has a strong association with divorce or broken homes. Findings of the research conducted by Dawood & Farooqi indicate that women belonging to upper-class were better adjusted regarding their marital relation as compare to women belonging to middle-class. Furthermore, women belonging to middle class were more adjusted regarding their marital relation as compare to women belonging to lower class.

Psychological health or mental health has been defined by World Health Organization as, "a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community". Two persons who are living together in a home have difference personalities. Therefore, researchers have given equal attention to personality issues and individual differences while studying issues of broken homes and divorce.

Empirical data reveal that personality problems of individual is a fifth causing factor of broken homes and divorce and about 10% people go for decided to break their marital owing to their personality problems. Gautam and Batra found out sexual problems as causing factors for divorce seeking factors among married couples. Male sexual dysfunction and impotency is closely associated to marital discord than female sexual dysfunction.