Family break-ups take a toll on adolescents having high rates of psychological and social problems, including substance abuse, behavioural disorders, anxiety and depression. The psychological and social distress shown by separated and divorcing parents can play a significant role in their adolescent children's response to the family break-up. The things that matter most are the atmosphere in which the separation occurs and the deterioration of the family relational processes, and not the separation in itself. Researchers from the Research Group on the Social Determinants of Health and Healthcare, and Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris provided questionnaires to 2,346 adolescents, divided into age groups of 13 and 16 years old, who participated in the Social and Health Survey of Children and Adolescents in Quebec, Montreal. In addition, 1,983 parents also completed the surveys. Overall, substance abuse, including alcohol, was approximately two-times higher in these adolescents compared with adolescents who were not going through a family break-up. Although seen in both groups, the rate of substance abuse was considerably higher among the 16 year olds. Oppositional attitudes and behaviours, such as fighting, damaging property and theft were increased in both age groups. It was noted that paternal support helped mediate the association between family break-up and psychological distress, but it did not affect oppositional behaviour. Levels of depression and anxiety also were higher than normal in both age groups. In particular, the risk of suicide attempts was 3-4 times higher among 13 year olds, compared with 16 year olds. These behaviours, however, were modified by parental support. Higher rates of psychological distress reported by parents were linked with adolescent psychological distress as well as the adolescents' acts of defiance, fighting, vandalism, animal cruelty, theft or other violations of the law, but not with adolescent alcohol use or substance abuse. Adolescent psychological distress in both age groups was also strongly associated with witnessing violence between parents. Preventing maladjustment disorders among adolescents during times of family break-ups may require legal interventions that encourage divorce mediation or joint custody, as well as social interventions that support children and families with their readjustments.
Pediatrics,
October 2007