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Divorce and Teens: It Takes Support
(HealthScoutNews)
-- Support from friends, neighbors and schools can be just as
important as parental support for teenagers coping with the effects
of their parents' divorce and possible remarriage, says new research.
The Washington State University
study, published in the November issue of the Journal of Marriage
and Family, shows that families raise their children with
the help of other support systems and that outside help can buffer
teenagers from family turmoil.
The researchers examined 2,011
adolescents in grades 7, 9, and 11 from intact, blended and divorced
single-parent families.
They looked at measures that affected
the adolescents, such as low parental support, low parental monitoring,
peer support, school attachment and neighbor support.
The adolescents were asked about
their alcohol and tobacco use, risk-taking behaviors, depression,
sadness, suicidal thoughts and low self-esteem.
The study found parental support
and monitoring helped decrease the adolescents' damaging behavior
and negative thoughts. However, the study also shows that attachment
to school lowered the risk of destructive behaviors and was the
strongest non-family factor in predicting adolescent mental well-being.
Support from parents was less effective
in reducing depressed feelings for adolescents in divorced single-parent
families than for teens in intact families. The study also found
that peer support acted as a buffer against low parental support
of teens in divorced single-parent families.
The researchers, in a prepared
statement, say they hope the study can assist family and school
counselors helping teens who face family problems. The study shows
that teens experiencing family parental troubles need to have
broad social networks that extend beyond their parents.
More information
Ohio State University has more
about the effects
of divorce on children.
Reference
Source 101
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