The Relation between Parental Conflict and Cooperation Postseparation or Postdivorce and Adolescent's Psychological Distress and Adjustment

Abstract

This study investigated the ways in which postdivorce or postseparation parental conflict and cooperation affect adolescents' and adults' psychological adjustment as mediated by psychological distress associated with their parents' separation or divorce. Adolescent men and women aged 18–29 years (N＝275) whose parents separated when they were 6–15 years of age and who started living with their mothers were analyzed. We developed the following hypothesis: parental conflict and cooperation, as well as parenting time, affect adolescent's psychological distress associated with separation or divorce and their current psychological adjustment. Hence, we conducted a gender-based multigroup analysis. The results revealed correlations between parental conflict and adolescent's self-esteem, depression, and anxiety, facilitated by their perception of conflict, “self-blame,” and “abandonment of childlike characteristics,” expressing psychological distress associated with parents' separation or divorce. Moreover, parental cooperation was found to be correlated with adolescent's self-esteem, depression, and anxiety; reduced “self-blame” and “abandonment of childlike characteristics” were mediated by the “feeling of parenting time” and “mothers' emotional support.” Finally, this research discussed paths indicating significant sex differences.