In my “Parents Who Cheat Survey”

Whether you are six or twenty-six, your parent’s infidelity is still a “big deal.” It’s one thing to find out that John Edwards cheated or that Jon Gosselin may have cheated on Kate; we may be shocked, but their lives don’t affect us personally. On the other hand, when one of your parents is sexually unfaithful, the emotional consequences can be intense. Young and older children alike often feel angry, betrayed, confused, ashamed – and sometimes even guilty for unknowingly “keeping the secret” of their parent’s infidelity.

My “Parents Who Cheat Survey” indicates that, even in our liberalized culture, children still expect fidelity between their parents, and adult children whose parents cheated still report suffering the effects of their parents’ betrayal—especially an inability to trust their own partners.

--Dr. Ana Nogales