The effect of divorce and co-parenting on emotional problems: The role of conflict at home and resilience.

Abstract

Experiencing a divorce or separation of one’s parents may increase children’s’ emotional problems, and this negative impact of divorce may be particularly strong for children who experience high levels of conflict at home. Resilience may contribute to fewer emotional problems. The current research investigates if divorce and co-parenting are associated with emotional problems in adolescents and if conflict at home influences these associations. In addition, it is examined if resilience influences the possible relationship between co-parenting and emotional problems. For this research, cross-sectional data were used, and two samples were derived, and both consisted of Dutch adolescents between 12 - 17 years. Sample 1 (N=5326) consisted of divorced and non-divorced families. Sample 2 (N=806) consisted of divorced families only. Results show that having divorced parents was associated with having more emotional problems. Co-parenting was not associated with more emotional problems. Conflict at home did not influence the strength of the association between either divorce or co-parenting and emotional problems but was directly associated with having more emotional problems. Resilience was only associated with fewer emotional problems. Therefore, prevention strategies should focus on reducing conflict at home after divorce (either with or without co-parenting) and increase resilience among adolescents.