Scheidingskinderen en intacte gezinnen. Onderzoek naar scheidingsproblematiek in een klinische setting.

Abstract

Objective: In the current study we examined the differences in problems between children of divorced parents and children from intact families. Data were collected from the locations of the Therapeutic Center Flevoland (TCF) in Lelystad and Emmeloord. Method: From 237 children (6-12 years) the outcomes of the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL), the Teacher Report Form (TRF), and the diagnoses were compared between children from divorced families and non-divorced families. Results: The percentage of divorced families that were registered at the TCF was significantly higher than the percentage in the normal Dutch population. Regarding the CBCL divorced parents reported more thought problems. Non-divorced parents reported less often externalizing problem behaviour. On the TRF a significant result was found on physical problems as reported by teachers, but interpretation is not clear. When two groups subclinical/clinical and normal were compared only a difference was found for thought problems on the CBCL. Children from divorced families were less often diagnosed as ADHD/ADD, but more often diagnosed as adjustment disorder en relationship problems. We also examined gender differences. Girls from divorced families more often had an adjustment disorder compared to girls and boys from divorced and intact families. Boys with divorced parents were also more often diagnosed with relationship problems, compared to boys from non-divorced families. The same difference was found for girls. Conclusion: We tentatively conclude that children of divorce are overrepresented in a clinical population compared to the general population. There are also specific problems that occur more in groups of divorced children. More research is needed to examine if these differences are also found in other Dutch institutes.