Carib Studies Word 2007

8/12/2019 Carib Studies Word 2007

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CARIBBEAN STUDIES

Internal Assessment

THEME: Divorce and the Family

Name: Mark phillips

School: Kingston College

School Center #: 100057

Candidate #: ..

Territory: Jamaica

Teacher:


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Table of Contents

Page #

Introduction .1

Problem Statement and Aims & objectives..2-3

Definitions of key terms....4

Literature Review..5-6

Data Collection Sources7-8

Presentation of Data...9-13

Interpretation of Data..14

Discussion of findings.15

Recommendations & Limitations ..16

Conclusion...17

Appendices...18-20

Bibliography.21


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Introduction

Divorce refers to the dissolution of a marriage contracted between a man and a woman,

by the judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, or by an act of the legislature.

Over the last ten years the family unit has come under severe pressure due to the

influence of divorce especially within St. Andrew. By the same vein the impact of globalization

have contributed to the emergence of new norms and values coupled with the rise in

feminization. These have paved the way for female having to sustain and rid themselves from the

chains of patriarchy.

In addition statistical evidence has been presented to show that the concept of divorce has

been used to paint a vivid picture on how divorce affects the family structure in St. Andrew and

the spillover effects on the family.

The majority of the divorcing couples tend not to part their ways amicably. Even if there

is no animosity at the time of divorce, bitterness and resentment over children have a tendency to

build up in the years that follow. If there is a dispute, each parent tries to have "one up" over the

other and desperately tries to win, but victory remains elusive to both. In the end, both parties

lose and children receive the verdict of years of suffering and pain.

In about 90 % of the cases, mothers get the custody of children; therefore, mothers often remain

primary caregivers for children. Children of divorce are likely to receive only partial or transient

assistance from men. Moms and Dads become extremely sensitive and somewhat short- tempered over

matters concerning parental rights, visitations, money, etc.

When a divorce is difficult, the mother is depressed as she copes with the daily hassles and

arguments while working and trying to raise children with little support from her ex-husband. When she

is depressed and stressed out, she performs even less efficiently in her new role. This, in turn, makes achild more insecure and unhappy. She feels increasingly guilty when the child stays angry with her. She

doesn't realize that most children express their anger and unhappiness to mothers and tighten the lid on

their feelings when they are with their fathers.

The educational value or benefit to be achieved from conducting this study lies in

understanding how divorce contributes to the decline in family values within St. Andrew. The


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study also lends itself to discuss the underlined issues which society has failed to understand,

issues which surround how divorce contributes to the decline in family values within St. Andrew.

The research was conducted during the period of January 5, 2010February 15, 2010.

The researcher employed various comparative methodologies such as questionnaire, random

sampling to select the participants of the study.

The random sampling employed by the researcher was compiled from a sampling frame.

This allows each participant to have an equal opportunity to be selected. As a result, the sample

consist of a total representation of 10 males and 10 females to allow for a standardize output. The

used of questionnaire were also employed and this consist of 16 questions, 12 closed ending and

4 open ending. This was design to arrest information too difficult to gather and categorize.

The participant selected for the study was base on the following criteria; age, sex, gender

and occupation. On the 15th

of February the research was collected and quantified by qualitative

and quantitative techniques. The information gathered was used to compare and contrast other

area of study such as the discussion of findings.

In conclusion the research will provide the general reader with an in-depth analysis and

highlight any possible measure which can be employed to eliminate the problems discussed.


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Problem Statement

To investigate the impact of divorce on the decline in family values within a community in St.

Andrew, Jamaica.

Aims and Objectives

To find out the meaning of the term divorce.

To identify the causes of divorce.

To examine strategies to minimize divorce with families.

To identify the challenges divorce face within society.

To identify the positive and negative effect of divorce.

To investigate how divorce affect family members.


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Definitions of Key Terms

Familya family may be defined as a group of people living together who you may be related

to by blood, marriage, or choice, often for a lifetime.

Divorcethis may be defined as the termination of a valid marriage contract.

Valuesare a set of morals, principles, guidelines or code of ethics to which we live by.

Animosity-a feeling of strong dislike, ill will, or enmity that tends to display itself in action

Extraverts- This is a person who is energized by being around other people.

Hassles-difficulty brought about by pressures of time, money, inconvenience

Amicably-characterized by friendliness

Jurisdiction- A jurisdiction is an area with a set of laws under the control of a system of courts

which are different to neighboring areas

Patriarchy- A social system in which the father or eldest male is head of the household, having

authority over women and children.

Safe Target- This refers to a person or thing on which a hurting individual emotionally and

physically relieve his or her stress, without thinking of possible repercussions.


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Literature Review

A divorce, sometimes called a decree of "dissolution of marriage", is a court order

terminating a marriage where it no longer exists. Unlike an annulment, which states that the

marriage never existed, a divorce is the termination of a valid marriage contract. Typically in the

divorce the parties and/or court resolve all issues between them, such as division of property,

child custody and visitation, and spousal and child support.

Statistics have proven that over the past several years that divorce has nearly affected

30% of marriages within a specific community in St. Andrew. These causes of divorce vary, and

they can be extremely personal for the couple. One common cause of divorce is what is officially

referred to as irreconcilable differences.This is perhaps one of the most common causes ofdivorce on divorce papers and can mean different things to different people. Often times, this

reason is cited by couples who marry young and no longer have anything in common. Other

times, it refers to a disagreement on a fundamental issue, such as whether or not to have children

or could just mean that the couple argues too much.

According to the Gleaner, published, Friday, January 4, 2008it was stated that a

majority of the couples who get divorced where married between the ages 18-29. The data also

showed that a significant number of men had previously been married. According to Pastor

Richard Keane of Family Church on the Rock, Kingston, It worries him. He stated that,

"People resort to divorce too quickly or easily and some get married too quickly without learning

enough about each other before committing to this long-term relationship,". Bert Samuels, an

attorney with 28 years' experience in the courts, finds the change in the law facilitates so-called

'no fault' divorces as an appropriate response to the problem of incompatibility, The Gleaner,

Friday, January 4, 2008.He stated that "This is better for, in some instances, the difficulties

attached might cause domestic violence and lead to murder and suicide.

According to Pastor Keane, he is not impressed by such efforts at judicial efficiency in

respect of divorce. Basing his argument on scriptural teachings, he contends that it was never

intended for the dissolution of marriage to be a quick process.


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However other causes of divorce within this community are communication problems,

financial problem, forms of abuse, sexual problem and marital infidelity. These automatically

will contribute to the decline in family values. The Joint problem solving is difficult under the

best of circumstances. Divorce and resulting parenting plans add a dimension of difficulty,

because of highly charged emotions, which prevent clear thinking. Some of these emotions can

be diffused through the communication techniques mentioned further on in this study.

Childrens problems are often compounded by the differing perceptions of their two

parents. The parent who initiated the divorces, who wanted or feels responsible for the divorce,

have a tendency to overlook many of the problems children are experiencing or to suggest that

these are normal, typical childhood problems. The parent who did not want the divorce or does

not feel responsible for it sees every problem the child has as related to the divorce. The truthusually lies in the middle of these two positions. Children are always affected by their parents

divorce. Most children will show some reactive behavior during the first year after the divorce

and will continue to struggle with it for many years after. Yet not every problem, or every

success, for that matter, a child has can be attributed to the divorce.

Jack, a divorced father reported, Matts teacher called and said she just doesnt know

what to do with him. He is constantly causing problems in the classroom, talking to other

children, acting silly and getting into fights. Besides disrupting the class he isnt getting any of

his work done. Kids are not divorceable.

A logical emotion for children to feel at the time of a major loss like divorce is anger.

Whenever things are taken from us without our consent, there is a feeling of losing control of our

own destiny. This makes us angry. Some children may express this anger very directly; I hate

Dad (or Mom) for leaving me! Usually, however, children will express their anger in subtle,

nuclear ways; or they will target their anger at a person or object they feel can absorb it.

Sometimes a child will be angry at the custodial parent. This anger maybe observed in

such actions as not minding, talking back and arguing, calling the parent names, and even hitting

the parent. This happens when the child misses the absent parent very much and blames the


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custodial parent for the lost. This blame, of course, is not justified, yet the child experiences the

feeling just the same.

When the family begins to change, children become afraid. They quit literally fear for

their own safety and survival. The fear that the child feels may not be rational but it is real and

based on feelings generated by the many changes. If one parent could leave, for example, it is

now possible in the childs mind that the other parent could also leave, or even die.

In some instances the fear the child feels maybe based on reality: his or her well being

really is at risk. For example if one parent has a tendency toward violent behavior, the child may

fear that parent will him or her or hurt other family members.

Children may also feel fear when they observe one of their parents emotionally

deteriorating. If the breakup of the family has triggered excessive drinking, severe depression or

extreme anxiety, a child may correctly perceive that the parent is not functioning as a mature

adult and is unable to provide adequate care.

Almost everyone in the family feels sad about a divorce. Even when there is a sense of

general relief because a conflictive relationship has finally ended, there is usually a sad feeling

associated with the lost hopes and dreams of having a complete, happy family. When a child

shows some sadness about the divorce, this feeling is usually understandable and acceptable to

the parents.

The child may mope around the house, cry easily, not eat as usual, and seem to get little

pleasure out of doing things that were formerly enjoy enjoyable. These are signs of depression, a

kind of sadness and anger kept inside. Some children experience intense sadness and longing for

the absent parent. This response may baffle the custodial parent who says ,I dont understand

their crying for their father (Mother). When we were married my husband (wife) was a

workaholic and never home. The children have neverbeen close to him (or her). Whats going

on? The actual amount of contact with the non-custodial parent prior to the separation often has

little to do with how much a child misses that parent. In fact, some children who have not spent

much time with the absent parent are especially devastated by the departure because they now

feel they will never get to know that parent.


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Anxiety is an emotional response that sometimes results in the development of physical

symptoms. Anxiety is a feeling of general uncertainty or uneasiness about what is going to

happen. Many of the changes brought about by the changes of a divorce are beyond the control

of a child. It makes sense that during, or following, parental divorce a child may exhibit signs of

anxiety. Physical symptoms that may point to an underlying anxiety are headaches, bad dreams,

and stomach aches, loss of hair, biting nails, chewing lips, asthma attacks, bed wetting or

dizziness.

A few children may exhibit none of the responses described. These children appear

somewhat detached from the divorce process, stating that Nothing is really different. Or the

child may seem artificially cheerful, proclaiming everything is just great. These children will

say that they have no questions about the divorce. They claim its just something that happenedand there is no need to think or feel about it.

This type of response in children is a special case for concern. It could me they have been

exposed to so many intense emotions of others that they are afraid to have any feelings of their

own. They might feel that If my parents are out of control, I must remain in control. A lack of

response could also mean that they are afraid of taking sides between their parents. To remain

faithful to both parents, children sometimes decide to know and feel nothing. Finally, this

reaction could mean that children are so devastated by the divorce that the resulting feelings

seem unmanageable and overwhelming. As a result they admit no feeling whatsoever.


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Data Collection Sources

The researcher employed the use of archival data to study how divorce contributes to the

decline in family values within the community. The method of Archival research was deemed

appropriate for studying changes over time because of the phenomena being investigated already

existed in recorded information. Literature on the effect of how divorce contributes to the decline

in family values within the community was used to establish the general effects on the Jamaican

society.

The sampling consisted of 20 participants, 10 males and 10 females, who were randomly

selected for the study. The sample population was taken from the directory based on criteria such

as; age, sex, gender, occupation etc. The random sampling method allowed for a wide cross

section of the population within the community to be represented in the study. The data gathered

from the random sampling was used to measure and find out any co-relation and test the validity

of the study. This was done so that the presentation of data and discussion of finding could be

justified.

Text Book; The text book, Caribbean Studies by Jenifer Mohammed is a secondary source data employed

by the researcher to quantify and explain information which has enhanced the study and will give the

reader a clearer understanding to those concepts that are taken for granted. A secondary source at times

may be misleading as it is not an original document. However, the text book allowed the researcher to

give clearer meaning to those terms which are stated in the list of technical terms.

Questionnaires; The researcher employed the use of questionnaires. These are primary sources as they

were filled in by the respondents. It provides numerous advantages as it allows a wide cross section of the

society to take part in the study. It assists with the complication of the research findings and allow for the

findings to be represented in statistical format created over the years. However, it proved to be time

consuming as the retrieval process was also tiring.

Internet Sources; Websites such aswww.gleaner.com,a secondary source, allowed the study to gain a

great deal of background information on the subject matter. In addition these sources allowed the

researcher to access and validate various works of authoritative sources or finding and to make

comparison and contrast for the literature review and research findings.
http://www.gleaner.com/http://www.gleaner.com/http://www.gleaner.com/


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Research Methods

Quantitative

The term qualitative data is used to describe the type of information that can be counted or

expressed numerically. This type of data is often collected in experiments, manipulated and statistically

analyzed. Quantitative data can be represented visually in graphs, histograms, tables and charts. This type

of information is important because it is used to study a large number of people and allowed the

researcher to present the findings in numerical format, which can then be statistically analyzed.

Qualitative

This is a form of data that is used to describe, interpret and explain certain types of information

and it is used to present in word data which is used to analyzed information in order to compile the

researcher finding.


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Presentation of Data

Pie chart shows the negative effects of divorce

Pie chart showing that 75% of the respondents agreed that divorce has a negative effect on the

family while 25% disagreed saying that divorce does not have a negative effect on the family.

Cylindrical chart showing the main cause of divorce

75%

25%

yes no

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Cheating

Finanacial issues

Communication

Sex

Others

Percentage

Resp

onses

Cheating

Finanacial issues

Communication

Sex

Others


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Cylindrical chart showing that the main causes of divorce are cheating, sex, financial issues,

communication having percentages of approximately 34%, 24% 19%, 9% respectively. This was

while approximately 4%suggested other causes.

Table showing the Factors that contribute to the decline in family values

Factors PercentagePeer Pressure 30%

Music 25%

others 45%

The table above shows that factors such as peer pressure and music contributes to the decline in

family values in percentages such as 30% and 25% respectively. The table also shows that 45%

of other factors, were responsible for the decline in family values.

Pie chart showing if the age of parents contribute to divorce

The above chart shows that 85% of the respondents supported the idea that the age of parents

contributes to divorce while 15% refuted.

15%

85%

no yes


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Bar chart showing awareness of divorce taking place in any family

The bar chart shows that 25% of respondents were aware of divorce taking place in a family

while 75% responded that they were not aware.

25%

75%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Yes

No

Percentage

Responses

Yes

No


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Bar chart showing persons who have experience divorce

The bar chart shows that 70% of respondents had experienced divorce before while 30% did not.

Cylindrical chart showing if society influences the rate of divorce

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

yes No

70%

30%Percentge

Responses

yes

No

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Yes No

80%

20%

Perce

ntage

Responses

Yes

No


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After collecting the findings it was seen that 80% of respondents agreed that society influences

the rate of divorce while 20% of the respondents disagreed.

Pie chart showing effectsof divorce contributes on the decline in family values

The chart shows that 90% of respondents supported the claim that divorce contributes to the

decline in family values while 10% refuted this claim.

90%

10%

Yes

No


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Interpretation of Data

From the findings collected, 80% of the respondents stated that society influences the

divorce rate. This may be because of cultural norms, laws and influences which causes both

partners to resist from sitting down to talk to each other so they resolved their disputes through

divorce. However, 20% responded that society does not influence the divorce rate. This gives us

the view that there are factors within society which supports lengthy and prosperous marriages.

70% of the respondents said that they are not aware of divorce taking place in any family while

on the other hand 30% stated that they are aware of divorce taking place in families. This could

mean that while couples are going through a divorce they often times try to keep it secret or out

of the publics eye.This will in turn shelter them form unwanted attention and embarrassment.

34% of the respondents stated that cheating is the main cause of divorce, 19% said it is

Financial issues, 9% replied communication, 24% stated sex while the remaining 4% stated

others. Cheating and Sex were selected the most as main causes of divorce. This gives us the

impression that if a relationship lacks the sexual fulfillment which both partner yearns for, then it

may result in the couple getting a divorce. It was also found that 75% of the respondent figured

that divorce has a negative impact on the family. This may be because of the effect it has on

children. Children have impressionable minds and need both their parents in order to developinto mature and normal adults. This however is while 25% stated that divorce does not have a

negative impact. These respondents may have possibly gone through successful divorces,

which did not cause much stress or discomfort for the family.

90% of the respondents are of the view that divorce contributes to the decline in family

values. This maybe as a result of the respondents having personal experiences with the subject

matter ,as 75% have already experienced divorce and are aware of the implications of such a

process. However 10% maintained that divorce does not contribute to the decline in family

value. These responses may also be of experience and personal feelings as of the 10% , 30%

have not experienced divorce.


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In any marriage, a level of maturity is needed for future growth of the relationship. This

ideology is directly reflected in the findings as 85% of the respondents were of the view that the

age of a couple contributes to how fast they refer to the divorce process. Many individuals get

married as a result of several factors. However as these factors start to diminish in quality or

become less and less desireable, the relationship will begin to suffer and very soon, crumble to

the hands of divorce.

Absence of any parent due to divorce can create a permanent scar on the minds of

innocent children. This may later cause them to set their minds against relationships. It can then

be said that children of divorce are more likely to divorce when they get married. 100% of the

respondent agreed that divorce has contributed to the decline in family value. As according to

(Dr. Richard Saller, "Family Values in Ancient Rome"www.fathom.com/feature/121908)he is

concerned that fewer and fewer women want to invest in their children as mothers. He is

concerned because so many mothers are hiring sitters to raise their children. He is disturbed

about the rising divorce rate and the increase in marital infidelity.
http://www.fathom.com/feature/121908http://www.fathom.com/feature/121908


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Discussion of Findings

The study of the impact of divorce on the decline in family values within the community

presented some interesting findings, in which there were several misconceptions.

The primary misconception about marriage is that once two people are married all will be

great; that is, they will live happily ever after. Nonetheless, the research revealed that the main

causes of divorce within the community are communication problems, financial problem, forms

of abuse, sexual problem and marital infidelity. These all contribute to the decline in family

values in one way or the other, thus giving support to the 90% of respondents who agreed that

divorce causes a decline in family values. This was as 70% of the respondents had already

experienced divorce and it is believed that they gave their opinions based on personal

experiences.

There is an old adage that goes, children live what they learn. As a result of the

majority of the divorcing couples not parting on amicable terms, children often become

aggressive or anti-social towards their peers and towards others because of what they have seen

from their parents. Children usually act out towards safe-targets in an attempt to vent their

anger. These safe targets may at times become the victims of several emotional onslaughts.

While some children choose to show their feelings there are others who will try to tough it out.

This is to say that some children will try to remain emotionless or pretend to be cheerful, in an

attempt to hide their feelings, during the period of the divorce. It is recommended that these

children who try to hide their feelings are given special counseling to help them cope with the

changes occurring in their family.

Even if there is no animosity at the time of divorce, bitterness and resentment over

children have a tendency to build up in the years that follow. This is understandable especially

for the custodial parent who have to be dealing with the emotions of the children plus their own.

This over time becomes very overwhelming and will result in the parent becoming very

frustrated. This adversely affects how children interact with others within the society. This view


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was purported by Bert Samuels, an attorney with 28 years' experience in the courts. This was

stated in the Gleaner on Friday, January 4, 2008.

A divorce is difficult on the mother. She becomes easily stressed and depressed as she

copes with the daily hassles and arguments while working and trying to raise children with

generally little support from her ex-husband. This may sometimes lead to physical and/or

emotional abuse to the children. In so doing, the children may in turn become introverts,

extraverts or become unruly or rebellious. It has been observed that these kids are more prone to

drug and substance abuse.

Statistics from the research have proven that over the past several years that divorce has

nearly affected 30% of marriages within the community. Pundits are of the opinion that in a

majority of the cases, mothers get the custody of children. These pundits perceive that mothers

are revered for being able to be the primary caregivers for children while fathers play a visiting

parent role. This is where they only see the children a few times per week, month or even

yearly. In some cases these children act-out or behave inappropriately due to the fact that their

father no longer plays a pivotal role in their lives.

Children often feel comforted by the presence of a male in the house. Men have deep

voices, are tall, and seem powerful to children. They derive a sense of security from a father

whom they perceive as being strong, big, and safe. After the separation, some children who have

never been afraid of robbers and murderers develop these fears and are afraid to go to sleep or to

be alone. This is true even though the family may live in a very safe neighborhood and mom may

not be at all afraid.


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Recommendations

Generally, the study reveals that most of the residents of the community create a false sense of

love, where the issue of divorce is concern. However the researcher proposes the following

recommendation to provide some remedies which will quell issues that may lead to the couples

wanting divorce. These include:

Seek counseling when problems arise in the marriage

Talk things out with the partner

Treat each family member with respect.

Have an open mind to suggestions and opinions

Have individual and Family goals

Have scheduled family time

Limitations

The researcher encountered several short comings which affected the outcome of the overall

study. These include:

Time and resources for the study Construction of questionnaire

Financial Constraint

Inadequate source of information on the subject matter.

The respondents may not have been entirely truthful with their responses


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Conclusion

The termination of a marriage contract is referred to as a divorce. For several years and

especially since resent couples have been deciding to go the separate ways. From the findings

collected cheating and sex 34% and 24% respectively were the main causes of couples wanting

divorce. The researcher is also of the opinion that since the last few years women have wanted to

become independent of their male partners. This coupled with other reasons may at times cause

the couple to want a divorce.

Divorce however is usually the last alternative for most couples. This is after days

months and possibly years of counseling which have resulted in no real conclusions being drawn

or solutions being thought of. In trying to work out their differences it is usually the children who

receive the final verdict of not having a stable mom or dad, but in most cases, they lose their

dad. Mothers in turn are left to deal with their own emotions plus that of the child, which can

become very over whelming and may lead to frustration as time goes on.

The divorce process may at times become very embarrassing for a couple, especially

when the couple has not spent no real amount of time together. It maybe for this reason that

divorces are normally death within secret or out of the publics eye. This was reflected in the

findings as 75% of the respondents were unaware of divorces taking place in families.

Divorce is and will continue to be one such topic that is widely debated in families and

within society in general. Based on the data presented above, it may be concluded that family

values increase or decrease depending on the manner in which the divorce was carried out. The

researcher fully supports this position as suggested by the findings of the research.


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Appendices A

Questionnaire

This questionnaire is part of a study on the influence of how divorce contributes to the decline in

family values within a community in St. Andrew. The study is a requirement of the Caribbean

Examination Council (CxC), Caribbean Studies Examination2012. The information obtain from

the questionnaire will remain confidential.

Please indicate your response by making a tick in the corresponding box.Thanks for your

cooperation

1.

Gender

Male Female

2. Age

18-25 26-35 35 and over

3. Occupation

Employed Unemployed Self- Employed Others

4. How long have you lived in Pembroke Hall?

0-6 months 1-10 years 10-25 years

5. Are you aware of any divorce taking place in any family?

Yes No

6. If yes please

state


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7. What do you believe is the main cause of divorce?

Cheating Lack of communication Sex Financial issues

8. Have you ever experience divorce?

Yes No

9. Do you believe that divorce has a negative impact?

Yes No

10. If yes state reason..

...

..

11.What are the other factors (beside from divorce) that contribute to the decline in family?

Music Peer Pressure Others

12.Do you think that the age of the parents contribute to divorce?

Yes No

13. If yes State reason

.

14.Do you think that society influence the divorce rate?

Yes No

15. If yes state reason

...

16.Do you think that divorce contribute to the decline in family values?

Yes No


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Appendices B; Pictures

Fig 1 picture showing how family disputes causes neglect and may later result in

divorce

Fig2 showing Photo of a couple with issues which may later result in a divorce


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Bibliography

*Cummings, E. M, and Davies .P. (1994). Children and Marital Conflict.New York: Guilford.

*Sara Bronkowski. 1987. Kids are non divorceable. Ages 6-11 Version. ACTA Publication,Chicago, Illinois

*Karney, B. R., L. Story, and Bradbury .T. (2003). Marriages in Context: Interactionsbetween

Chronic and Acute Stress amongNewlyweds. Presentation at the International Meeting

on the Developmental Course of Couples Coping with Stress, October 12-14, 2002,

Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA.

*Pastor Keane. Richard (2008)divorce Jamaica Gleaner

Carib Studies Word 2007

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