Aspects of Psychoaffective Development of Children Hailing from Divorced or Separated Parents in Urban and Periurban Areas: A Case Study from the City of Cotonou
Instances of divorce or separation have consequences on the psychoaffective development of children. This article investigates the psychoaffective development of children hailing from separated or divorced families. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study involved 102 participants, with a sampling of children from open and closed care facilities under the auspices of the archdioceses of Cotonou. The analysis of the results obtained confirmed that the aggressiveness and lack of discipline observed in certain children, mostly among boys, can be attributed to the absence of the parents; and those affective deficiencies are expressed through sadness, distress, the taking of narcotics, or depression. Supportive psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and the presence of a fitting substitute for the absent parent are all recommended to ameliorate the psychological wellbeing of such children.
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