During a divorce - the time between separation and the legal end of the marriage - the loss of established routines upsets the lives of everyone involved. Depending on the circumstances unique to each family, everything from the location of the home to even the bedtimes of the children may be deranged. This can be particularly upsetting to children.

"A child’s perception of divorce will be largely determined by age and gender, as well as the child’s history of stress and coping. When stressful events outweigh available protective factors, even the most resilient child can develop problems," according to the North Carolina State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. A growing body of information suggests that certain factors may make some children more at risk for maladjustment than other children. Some are unalterable and some existed before divorce. Others exert considerable pressure on children at the time of the separation, and still others influence the children following divorce.

Divorcing parents cannot control the age of their children at the time of the breakup, nor can they often control all of the financial dislocations of a divorce. However, the mitigation of marital conflict, the stress of parental relationships, the civility between the spouses, and even the perception of loss of the noncustodial parent - all can be worsened or improved by parental behavior.