The Long-Term Effects of Parental Divorce on Family Relationships and the Effects on Adult Children's Self-Concept

Abstract

Past research suggests that the quality of family relationships after parental divorce has an impact on the children's psychological adjustment to the divorce. Research examining Ule long-term effects of parental divorce on children's self-concept are equivocal. The present study examines the indirect effects of parental divorce on self-concept via changes in the family environment. Two hypotheses were tested: adult children from divorced homes would report less positive family environments, and family environment would be positively correlated with self-concept. A sample of 147 subjects from a large northeastern university were used to test the hypotheses. The results indicate that adults who experienced parental divorce or separation perceived their family of origin as emotionally distant and more disorganized than subjects whose parents were not divorced. The perception of family closeness was positively correlated with self-concept. These results suggest that the lack of family closeness after divorce may affect the children's long-term psychological adjustment.

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