Studies have not ruled out the possibility that the behavioral problems ascribed to such children could be subjective observations, because such complaints generally come from parents.

Developmental psychology focuses more on the correlation among different factors, especially the influence of the environment on genes. Since the working of genes at the biological level could be influenced by a person's acquired knowledge, an increasing number of psychologists today emphasize that poor economic conditions of single parents could influence the development of their child. That's why many Western countries have set up programs to support single parents, especially financially, to raise their children.

In the United Kingdom, child maintenance is defined as "usually money that the parent without the main day-to-day care of a child pays to the other parent", and public service websites have support guidelines for single parents. Besides, the UK government launched a child raising service last year to support single mothers.

In China, discussions on single parents - and how to help them raise their children - have always been one-sided, with most experts saying a child raised by a single parent (especially mother) is bound to suffer from emotional and behavioral problems, without even reflecting on the importance of financial constraints for such families.

Children of divorced parents do develop emotional and behavioral problems while growing up, but their problems cannot be blamed on divorce alone. To really understand and solve the problems that divorcees' children face or develop, people have to abandon their belief that parents' divorce necessarily harms a child's development, stop blaming single parents (especially single mothers) for all the ills of their children, and urge the government and social organizations to set up programs to support the rising number of single parents.

The author is a psychological consultant and writer.

(China Daily 04/25/2014 page9)