Parental separation/divorce and adolescents: An examination of factors mediating adaptation

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between differences in current adjustment as they related to a number of demographic, personal, and situational factors for 65 late adolescents/young adults who had experienced this life transition. Utilizing multiple regression analyses, several factors emerged as particularly salient mediators of the adolescents' postdivorce adjustment, including distance from home, coping style, family cohesion, conflict and organization, and the use of family members for support. The importance of clarifying the role of psychological and situational mediating factors in order to understand the consequences of parental divorce and to organize preventive and ameliorative efforts for this population is discussed.

Adolescent Report of Interparental Conflict: The Role of Threat and Self-blame Appraisal on Adaptive Outcome

“…Specifically, adolescents may be less likely to blame themselves for the occurrence of the interparental conflict (Farber et al 1985). In claiming less responsibility, adolescents demonstrate less maladjustment, as suggested by current and previous findings (Dadds et al 1999).…”

Marital conflict and children's adjustment: A cognitive-contextual framework.

“…Several investigations have also reported that social competence Long, Forehand, Fauber, & Brody, 1987), cognitive competence Wierson et al, 1988), and grade point average (GPA; Wierson et al, 1988) are related to marital conflict. Several studies have also found relationships between children's perceptions of family conflict and negative child outcomes (e.g., Enos & Handal, 1986;Farber, Felner & Primavera, 1985;Slater & Haber, 1984), but only studies that assess marital conflict are considered in the present article. Table 1 presents a summary of studies that examine the relationship between marital conflict and children's adjustment.…”

Parental relationships, coping strategies, received support, and well‐being in adolescents of separated or divorced and married parents

“…Findings from studies of the relationship of coping strategies and various outcomes in adolescents with divorced and married parents also have been inconsistent (Farber, Felner, & Primavera, 1985;Kurdek, Blisk, & Siesky, 1981;Torestad, Magnusson, & Olah, 1990). Among the coping behaviors related to measures of distress and psychological well-being were emotional distancing, interpersonal reasoning, seeking support, the use of denial, and blaming.…”