De rol van het thuisgevoel en het functioneren van jongeren in co-oudergezinnen na echtscheiding

Abstract

Background: Little research has been done about the perception of children on family belonging after divorce. Although problem behaviour of children after divorce and their living situation has been performed, Dutch research on this topic is lacking. The aim of this study is to investigate whether family belonging of children after divorce plays a role in the relationship between living situation and problem behavior. This study focused on co-parent families versus non-co-parent families. Research questions included possible differences in problem behavior and family belonging after divorce based on their living situation and on the relation between family belonging and problem behavior. Method: Data from the cross-sequential study Students & Families [Scholieren & Gezinnen], measurement round 2018 was used. A total of 996 children between 10-19 years of age participated in this study, of which 194 (19,5%) children indicated to have divorced parents. Results: No significant difference in adolescents’ problem behaviour based on their living situation after divorce was found. However, there was, a significant correlation between family belonging and problem behaviour of children after divorce, as well as a connection between family belonging with mother and with father. Finally, family belonging with father depended on the living situation of children after divorce, but family belonging with mother was independent of the post-divorce living situation. Conclusion and discussion: The study shows that as long as children experience a positive family belonging, they will show less problem behaviour than children who experience a negative family belonging.