The Price Kids Pay When Parents Go Through A Bitter Divorce

In the video above, Dr. Phil gives a wake-up call to feuding exes Melissa and Eddie, whose custody disputes and vitriol toward one another are negatively impacting their 9-year-old son.

What Children Need Most When Their Parents Divorce

"Let me tell you what happens to children who live in contentious divorce," Dr. Phil says.

• They have appreciably lower math skills.
• They have appreciably lower social development.
• They have appreciably lower achievement in college.
• They are at higher risk for anxiety, stress and low self-esteem.
• They have a higher frequency of health problems.
• They have a two times higher divorce rate.
• If they marry someone who is also from a divorced home, they have a three times higher divorce rate.
• They have a five-year shorter life span, which means it's eroding their overall constitutional strength.

"The kids that get caught in the middle of all this are paying the price," he concludes.

Dos and Don'ts For Co-Parenting With Your Ex

Also on HuffPost: