Adolescent adjustment and well‐being: Effects of parental divorce and distress

Abstract

This study investigates the long-term effects of parental divorce on adolescent psychological adjustment and well-being, and to what extent the effects are accounted for by parental psychological distress. Data were collected among 8,984 Norwegian adolescents (13-19 years) and their parents. Outcome variables were symptoms of anxiety and depression, subjective well-being, and three areas of school problems. Parental divorce was found to be associated with both higher mean levels and larger variances in adolescent problems. Divorce and parental distress contributed independently to adolescent distress, supporting the notion of "double exposure" effects. The prevalence of adolescents with substantial distress symptoms was 14% among those with non-distressed non-divorced parents and 30% among those with divorced and distressed parents. In general effects remained when controlling for demographic factors. Long-term effects of divorce on symptoms of anxiety and depression were stronger among girls than among boys.

Parental separation in childhood and self-reported psychological health: A population-based study

“…Among women the age intervals 0-4, 10-14 and 15-18 may constitute sensitive periods, because in contrast to the concept of "critical period" the concept "sensitive period" permits several different sensitive periods (Ben-Schlomo and Kuh, 2002). The findings are supported by differing parts of the literature which indicate higher risk of poor psychological health in adulthood for younger children who experience parental separation/divorce (Hetherington, 1999), while other parts of the literature suggest no such age differences for children who experience parental separation/divorce (Storksen et al, 2006;Amato and Keith, 1991a;Rodgers, 1994;Chase-Lansdale et al, 1995). Our study is a population-based study with a very high number of participants, which may be regarded as an important strength.…”

“…While some studies have proposed that the effects of parental divorce may have more profound effects on younger children (Hetherington, 1999), other studies have suggested no such age differentiation in the psychological effects of parental divorce (Storksen et al, 2006;Amato and Keith, 1991a;Rodgers, 1994;Chase-Lansdale et al, 1995).…”

Epidemiology of Psychological Distress

“…Two characteristics of the prevalence of psychological distress are noteworthy: the widespread gender difference and the variation over the lifespan. The prevalence of psychological distress is higher in women than in men in most countries (Caron and Liu 2011, Jorm et al 2005, Phongsavan et al 2006) and in all age groups (Cairney and Krause 2005, Darcy and Siddique 1984, Myklestad, Roysamb, and Tambs 2011, Paul, Ayis, and Ebrahim 2006, Storksen et al 2006, Walters, McDonough, and Strohschein 2002. Yet this gender difference is not universal.…”

“…Being bullied at school (Myklestad, Roysamb, and Tambs 2011) and family conflict (Wilkinson-Lee et al 2011, Ystgaard, Tambs, andDalgard 1999) increase the mean level of distress in both girls and boys although when detailed stressful situations are taken into account family conflicts seem to affect girls more than boys (Ystgaard, Tambs, and Dalgard 1999). Parental divorce seems to have a stronger effect in adolescent girls; time lapse since divorce does not appear to modify the association with distress (Storksen et al 2006). Størksen et al attributed the effect of divorce on distress to the enduring family conflicts following a divorce since divorce per se is quite common in Norway.…”

As transições familiares do divórcio ao recasamento no contexto brasileiro

“…Na literatura nacional e internacional pesquisada, encontramse investigações referentes aos diferentes momentos do ciclo vital da família. Alguns autores enfocam o divórcio em famílias com crianças pequenas e pré-adolescentes (Ahrons, 2007;Kier, Lewis, & Hay, 2000;Mitcham-Smith & Henry, 2007;Ramires, 2004;Souza & Ramires, 2006), outros focalizam as famílias com filhos adolescentes (Souza, 2000;Storksen, Roysamb, Holmen, & Tambs, 2006), outros, ainda, abordam a rede de apoio das famílias divorciadas (M. R. G. L. Araújo & Dias, 2002), as famílias recasadas ou com novas configurações familiares (Wagner et al, 1997;Wagner & Féres-Carneiro, 2000), e o uso da mediação nas separações conjugais (Schabbel, 2005).…”