The Effect of Parental Divorce on Children's Psychological Adjustment According to the role of social support, it is one of the important issues in developmental psychology, family psychology, and children's mental health, which examines the consequences of parental separation and the factors affecting the reduction of psychological damages caused by it. Divorce as a fundamental change in the family structure can affect the child's life conditions, emotional relationships, sense of security, attachment patterns, academic performance, and the quality of his social interactions, but the consequences of this experience are not the same in all children and the intensity of its effects depends on a set of individual, family, social, and economic factors. Psychological adjustment refers to a child's ability to manage emotions, accept changes, maintain healthy relationships, cope with environmental pressures, and continue with daily activities in new situations, and in the post-divorce era, this ability may encounter difficulties. Children who lived in an environment filled with conflict, emotional insecurity, or frequent arguments before their parents separated may experience a reduction in family tensions after divorce, while children who have enjoyed a relatively stable and supportive relationship are more likely to experience separation as loss, unwanted change, or a threat to their emotional security. Therefore, divorce cannot be considered as a definitive cause of psychological problems alone, but it is also necessary to examine the pre-separation conditions, the way the parents make decisions, the quality of the relationship after divorce, and the amount of support available to the child. From the perspective of attachment theory, stable emotional relationships with primary caregivers play an important role in the formation of a child's sense of security and trust, and the change in the availability of one parent may affect the child's attachment patterns and expectations of interpersonal relationships. If the child feels that the separation of the parents means the loss of love or support from one of them, he may face separation anxiety, fear of abandonment, excessive dependence, or difficulty trusting others. In contrast, maintaining regular, secure, and appropriate communication with both parents, when this relationship is safe and possible, can help to maintain a sense of belonging and reduce emotional concerns. Family systems theory also considers divorce as a change in the organization of family relationships, the consequences of which depend on how family members rearrange their roles, communication boundaries, and responsibilities. When a child is forced to take on the role of mediator between parents after separation, receives conflicting messages, or takes on the responsibility of calming one parent, there is a possibility of increasing psychological pressure and decreasing his adaptability. Putting a child in a conflict of loyalty, i.e., feeling compelled to choose one parent or to hide their affection for the other, can generate feelings of guilt, confusion, and internal conflict. This situation is exacerbated when parents transfer their personal differences to the child's relationships or use the child to gather information, convey messages, and prove their legitimacy. Social support in such a situation refers to the set of emotional, informational, action, and communication resources that a child receives from parents, extended family members, friends, teachers, school counselors, and other trusted people. This support can facilitate a child's adjustment through empathetic listening, providing a sense of security, helping with everyday issues, clearly explaining family changes, and providing opportunities to express emotions. Emotional support helps a child feel that their experiences and concerns are taken seriously and that they do not have to hide their true emotions to maintain parental affection. Informational support also prevents the formation of misconceptions by providing age-appropriate explanations and the child's level of understanding of life changes, appointment schedules, accommodation, and new responsibilities. Young children may perceive divorce as the result of their own behavior or mistake and think that with better behavior, they can bring their parents back together, so it is important to make it clear and repeatedly that the decision to separate is the responsibility of the adult and not the child's cause. At school age, the child may show more concern about peer judgment, change of location, academic failure, or limited communication opportunities, and may need more practical and social support. In addition to the grief and anger caused by the separation, teens may also face conflicts about their independence, family responsibilities, emotional relationships, and future. Therefore, the type of support should be adjusted according to the developmental stage, personality traits, previous experiences, and specific needs of each child. One of the important mechanisms of the impact of social support on psychological adjustment is the reduction of the perceived intensity of psychological stress, as the presence of trusted people allows the child to experience problems as manageable situations, rather than uncontrollable threats. Social support can also foster a sense of control and self-efficacy and teach the child that despite the change in the family structure, he still plays an active role in some aspects of his life. Having supportive relationships with trusted relatives, such as grandparents, aunts, aunts, uncles, or uncles, can maintain a sense of family continuity, provided that these relationships do not exacerbate conflict or destroy the child's relationship with one parent. Friends and peers can also prevent a child's isolation by providing opportunities for natural interaction, play, participation in group activities, and an experience of social belonging. However, a child may feel ashamed or afraid of being ridiculed and labeled about revealing their family situation to peers; in such a situation, teaching communication skills and providing a respectful environment at school can play a protective role. Due to observing daily behaviors and changes in academic performance, teachers are sometimes among the first to recognize signs of difficulty adjusting. Sudden loss of concentration, frequent absences, decreased class participation, irritability, social withdrawal, or increased impulsive behaviors may be related to the pressures of family changes, although none of these symptoms alone are sufficient to draw conclusions about a child's psychological state. Respectful cooperation between parents and the school, where possible and with respect for the child's privacy, can help maintain the stability of educational programs and identify support needs early. Social support is most beneficial when it is accompanied by the behavioral and emotional stability of caregivers, as sporadic support or promises that are repeatedly broken may exacerbate feelings of mistrust. Parents need to provide as much as possible specific plans for sleeping, feeding, studying, having fun, and communicating with each of them so that the child maintains a part of his or her life order amid family changes. This stability does not mean ignoring the child's emotions, but should be accompanied by acceptance of sadness, anger, worry, nostalgia, and even a possible sense of relief. Some children may feel calm because of the end of frequent arguments and then feel guilty about experiencing this peace; parents should allow them to express their conflicting feelings without fear of judgment. The quality of parental communication after divorce is also a determinant of psychological adjustment, as reducing conflict and avoiding mutual destruction can reduce a child's psychological stress. Even when adult disputes are not fully resolved, it is possible to make clear agreements about the child's needs, visitation times, educational decisions, and health care. Social support is most effective when the child does not feel that he or she has to take the side of one parent or disclose the family's private information in order to receive it. The role of the parent with day-to-day custody is especially important in maintaining the stability of the living environment and responding to emotional needs, but the other parent can also foster a child's sense of belonging by being present responsibly and predictably if they have a secure communication situation. Economic restrictions after divorce may reduce a child's access to recreational activities, counseling services, educational facilities, and a stable living environment, thereby affecting psychological adjustment. In such a situation, practical support from extended family, school, and social services can alleviate some of the daily stress. It should be noted that social support does not depend solely on the number of people in the child's network, but also on the quality of the relationship, the level of trust, availability, and proportionality of the support to his or her actual needs. A child with an extensive network may continue to feel lonely because those around them do not listen to their concerns or downplay their feelings. In contrast, even a stable and trustworthy relationship can be an important source of coping with stress. From a cognitive perspective, a child's perception of the cause of divorce and its consequences can change the intensity of emotional reactions; children who interpret separation as a sign of their own worthlessness may be more likely to experience low self-esteem and feelings of rejection. Age-appropriate dialogue, correcting self-blameworthy perceptions, and emphasizing the continuation of parental affection and responsibility can help reconstruct these perceptions. From an emotion regulation perspective, social support also gives the child the opportunity to name their emotions, discuss them, and learn adaptive strategies such as problem-solving, asking for help, physical activity, and participating in play. In contrast, constant suppression of emotions, ignoring the child's discomfort, or pressure to adapt quickly may lead to persistent anxiety, latent anger, or coping behaviors. Research evidence in the field of divorce and child adjustment shows that the consequences of separation are usually the result of the interaction of several factors, and the quality of parenting, the level of conflict between parents, economic status, the mental health of caregivers, and social support sources are important. Research findings should not be interpreted to mean that all children of separated parents suffer from psychological disorders or that social support alone eliminates all the effects of family pressure, but that support can be one of the protective factors along with other conditions. Also, the relationship between support and adjustment may be two-way, i.e., appropriate support can improve adjustment, and children who feel more secure may more easily seek help and maintain supportive relationships. To examine this relationship in detail, researchers can use longitudinal designs to track children's psychological status in the pre-separation period and the various stages after it. Adjustment measurements should include emotional, behavioral, social, and academic dimensions and should not be limited to the absence of symptoms of anxiety or depression alone. The use of reports from children, parents, teachers, and, if needed, professionals can provide a more comprehensive picture, as different people's perceptions of adjustment may vary. In research, it is also necessary to distinguish between divorce with severe conflict and separation in situations where family conflict has existed before, because ignoring the situation before separation can not accurately show the relationship between divorce and psychological consequences. One of the limitations of research in this area is the difficulty of separating the independent effect of divorce from factors such as chronic conflict, economic problems, change of place of residence, and the mental health of parents. Another limitation is related to cultural and social differences, because society's attitude toward divorce, access to supportive services, and the structure of the extended family can change a child's experience. Future research should investigate the moderating role of social support in different age groups and in different economic and cultural contexts, and distinguish between emotional, informational, and practical support. Also, examining children's own experience of support can shed light on which behaviors of parents, teachers, and those around them are truly relaxing and beneficial. Practically, family counseling programs should focus on reducing parental conflict, strengthening communication skills, educating parenting after divorce, and preventing the child from becoming involved in adult conflicts. Individual or group counseling sessions for children can provide an opportunity for them to talk about their experience and learn appropriate coping skills without worrying about upsetting their parents. These interventions should avoid labeling the child or viewing divorce as a definitive sign of psychological harm, and take into account individual differences and resilience resources. In cases where the child shows persistent and severe symptoms of anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, loss of functioning, social isolation, or risky behaviors, a professional assessment can be necessary to identify needs and design an appropriate intervention. In addition to accessibility, effective social support should be accompanied by respect for the child's independence and privacy, and prevent him from becoming the subject of tense conversations between adults. Paying attention to protective factors such as a secure relationship with at least one caregiver, the ability to express emotions, a sense of belonging to school, supportive friendships, and access to psychological services can be helpful in designing preventive programs. Psychological adjustment after divorce is a gradual process, and the child may need more support again at different periods of life, when changing schools, entering adolescence, or facing new family events. Therefore, support should not be limited to a brief conversation at the time of the separation announcement, but should continue during the adjustment to the new family structure. When adults take the child's needs seriously, explain changes honestly and calmly, maintain the stability of daily life as much as possible, and allow for safe communication with trusted people, the child will have a greater opportunity to rebuild a sense of security and trust. The quality of this process depends on the cooperation of the family, the school, and professional services, and requires that the responsibility for adult disputes be taken off the child's shoulders. Investigating the effect of divorce on psychological adjustment with regard to the role of social support shows that the experience of separation should be understood in the context of relationships and support resources of the child, because changing the structure of the family alone does not determine the path of his psychological future and the way people around him face this change can play a role in the formation of a safer, more understandable, and more adaptive experience.