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Adolescent adjustment and well-being: Effects of parental divorce and distress
Introduction
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of divorce or separation on an adolescent’s psychological adjustment, investigate if there are any gender differences in the effect of divorce, the impact of time on the adolescent after divorce, and the effect of divorce on the adolescent after controlling for parental symptoms of depression and anxiety (Størksen, Røysamb, Holmen, & Tambs, 2006).
The independent variables for this study were divorce and parental distress. These two variables were selected because the researchers wanted to establish the effect of divorce on adolescents and compare it to those of adolescents whose parents had not divorced or separated. Adolescents who had grown up with one parent were included in the no divorce group since they had only known a single parent. Parental distress was used to determine the impact this would have on an adolescent and compare it to that of a parent who does not have distress.
The dependent variables for this study were symptoms of anxiety and depression (SCL-5), subjective well-being (SWB), academic performance, conduct, and dissatisfaction. Academic, conduct, and dissatisfaction were school-related problems. The researchers wanted to determine the effects of divorce on Scandinavian adolescents for these five variables and compare them to those od adolescents whose parents did not have a divorce. This would allow the researchers to determine if there is any effect on the lives of an adolescent based on the divorce of the parents.
In this study, the researchers hypothesized that divorce has a direct effect on adolescent distress and resultant school problems.
Literature
The study has used the epidemiological framework. This framework is used to evaluate the correlation between exposure to something and the adverse health effects. For this study, the researchers wanted to evaluate the correlation between being exposed to parental divorce and parental distress of children and adolescents and its adverse effects on the health of adolescents. Other adverse effects that the researchers wanted to evaluate are the problems in school that the adolescent is faced with. Adolescents exposed to divorce are compared to adolescents who have not been exposed to divorce. The area of focus is the same and the age, sex, race, and social status is similar for both groups.
According to Størksen et al. (2006) divorce is quite common and it involves children. There have been numerous studies that have been carried out analyzing the effect of divorce on children and adolescents in the...…could be the cause of child adjustment problems after the divorce. Størksen et al. (2006) did not have a way of separating the effects of divorce and those of parental conflict before the divorce. While the study had a high participation rate, this is not a guarantee that the study is free of recruitment bias. A child who grows up in a single-parent home would likely develop a psychiatric disease, death, or drug and alcohol-related disorders. This would likely lead to the child not participating in the study.
This study has shed light on how divorce has affected adolescents living in Scandinavian countries. The lack of research focusing on this demographic meant that people had to rely on the data from other areas and fit it for this particular population. This study has managed to link both parents with their children, which gives more credible information as compared to having data from one parent mostly the mother. The results of this study will shed light on the impact that divorce for this population and how adolescents get affected. The Scandinavian culture differs from that of other countries like Europe and America, research needed to be conducted to conclusively determine if adolescents from Scandinavian countries are affected by parental divorce.…
Data will be collected using a survey instrument. The instrument will be designed by researchers for the purposes of this particular study and will feature two sections. The first section will ask for some brief familial and biographical information. First and foremost, the survey will ask the life and marital status of the respondents' parents, accounting for single mothers, single fathers, legal non-biological guardians, divorced parents, remarried parents and married
In regard to how a child's sense of family is affected by the remarriage of either parent, Ahrons points out that binuclear families have proven to be rather undesirable. This is more so the case given the unusual combination of both blood and non-blood relationships which according to Ahrons could effectively defy clear definition of roles. Findings from this study as the author further points out clearly indicate that children
Among the factors which this article elucidates are necessary to be considered, Hetherington et al. indicate that "the long-term effects are related more to the child's developmental status, sex, and temperament; the qualities of the home and parenting environments; and to the resources and support systems available to the parents and child than they are to divorce or remarriage per se." (Hetherington et al., 303) From a clinical treatment perspective,
There is a typical decline in the standard of living of mother-headed families, for children of divorce, that often pushes them below the poverty level. A number of developmental problem, in children, are associated with a lack of economic resources. A child's nutrition and health may be negatively affected by economic hardship. Educational items such as: private lessons, educational toys, computers, and books are also often difficult for single-parent
Figure 1 portrays three of the scenes 20/20 presented March 15, 2010. Figure 1: Heather, Rachel, and Unnamed Girl in 20/20 Program (adapted from Stossel, 2010). Statement of the Problem For any individual, the death of a family member, friend, parent or sibling may often be overwhelming. For adolescents, the death of person close to them may prove much more traumatic as it can disrupt adolescent development. Diana Mahoney (2008), with the
The child usually finds it difficult to unite with his or her friends and research shows that kids who have come from divorced families have a hard time trusting in relationships. (Chandler L., the Social and Educational Effects of Divorce on Children). The Function of Parents Concerning Child Alteration during Divorce. The way in which the parents handle the separation usually makes a difference in how the child adjusts from everything