They believe it is a direct rejection of them. Many girls attribute this rejection to not being pretty enough, affectionate enough, athletic enough, smart enough, etc. On a long-term study of up to 25 years later, it was shown that when the parents first got divorced, the children reported feeling lonely, ashamed, or terrified of abandonment. In teens, half of the children became involved in alcohol and drugs. But caregivers can be alert for signs that the child is upset or depressed.
Children react differently yet similarly in divorce.
Some will be extremely sad and show signs of depression and even sleeplessness. Anxiety levels peak as they feel they are going to be abandoned. They experience feelings of loneliness due to the loss of the other parent. Different children go through it at different levels and different times. How bad or how well children go through the divorce depends on how the situation is handled.