Woonsituatie en Ouderlijke Conflicten na Scheiding en Probleemgedrag bij Jongeren

Abstract

A parental divorce can have a negative impact on the adjustment of adolescents, for example with regard to externalizing and internalizing problem behaviour. Living situation – in the form of post-divorce contact arrangement - and parental conflicts can play a role in this divorce-related problem behaviour. Studies suggest that children in shared physical custody function most optimally, but these studies were conducted outside the Netherlands, and based on parent-reports. This study examined a possible difference in problem behaviour of adolescents, based on their living situation, and the role of parental conflicts. A cross- sequential data set was used from the research ‘Scholieren en Gezinnen’ (2013). Adolescents with divorced parents, between the age of 11 and 17 years old (M = 13.82, SD = 1.01) participated in this study (N = 443). No significant difference was found in the average externalizing and internalizing problem behaviour of adolescents growing up in different living situations. However, parental conflicts in divorced families have a strong positive significant correlation with problem behaviour, especially in terms of internalizing behaviour. Yet, there is no significant difference in the amount of parental conflicts between the various living situations. Multiple other factors could play a role in the association between living situation and problem behaviour, such as environmental, family, or child related factors.