Which of the following is NOT listed as a common emotional reaction of school-age children to parental divorce?

Which of the following is NOT listed as a common emotional reaction of school-age children to parental divorce?

• A. Increased appetite
• B. Profound sadness
• C. Sleep disturbances
• D. Fear

Answer: (A)

Children facing parental divorce often show emotional responses such as profound sadness, fear, and sleep disturbances. Sadness reflects the emotional toll of losing the sense of family stability; fear stems from worries about the future and changes in routines; sleep disturbances arise from ongoing anxiety and stress. Increased appetite, while it can occur, is not an emotional reaction—it's a behavioral/physiological response to stress rather than a symptom of emotional distress. Because the question asks for what is NOT a common emotional reaction, increased appetite fits as the correct choice.

Children facing parental divorce often show emotional responses such as profound sadness, fear, and sleep disturbances. Sadness reflects the emotional toll of losing the sense of family stability; fear stems from worries about the future and changes in routines; sleep disturbances arise from ongoing anxiety and stress. Increased appetite, while it can occur, is not an emotional reaction—it's a behavioral/physiological response to stress rather than a symptom of emotional distress. Because the question asks for what is NOT a common emotional reaction, increased appetite fits as the correct choice.