Which group of children is most likely to feel responsible for their parents' divorce?

Early elementary children are at a developmental stage where they are beginning to understand complex emotional relationships and can start to interpret events that happen around them, including their parents' divorce. At this age, children are typically around 6 to 8 years old and are becoming more aware of the dynamics of family relationships. They often experience magical thinking, where they may believe that their thoughts or actions can influence events, leading them to feel a misplaced sense of responsibility for their parents' separation.

Additionally, children in early elementary school may struggle to understand the reasons behind a divorce. They may feel guilt or believe that they could have acted differently to prevent the situation. This emotional turmoil can manifest as self-blame, making them more susceptible to thinking they played a role in their parents' decision to divorce.

In contrast, infants would not have the cognitive ability to process or even understand the concept of divorce. Toddlers have limited understanding and are mostly focused on their immediate needs and feelings rather than complex family dynamics. Adolescents, while they may experience feelings of impact from a divorce, are typically more capable of understanding the complexity of marital issues and often view the situation from a more rational perspective rather than attributing blame to themselves as young children might do.