Abstract
This study reviews several empirical researches which highlight the effect of post-divorce parental conflict as one of the most important factors on adolescents’ delinquency in divorced families. Research consistently shows that parental conflict affects parental relationship and this poor parental quality may transfer into poor parent-child relationship that may negatively influence adolescent functions and behaviors. Research showed that adolescents who are exposed to post-divorce parental conflict are at increased risk for high level of delinquency. Positive associations between parental conflict and adolescent delinquency have been accounted for by parental rejection or withdrawal, parental hostility toward adolescents, lack of parental warmth, and corporal punishment and parent-adolescent conflict.
Highlights
Post-divorce parental ConflictPost-divorce parental conflict is characterized by parents’ inability to communicate politely, parental battles, and hostility (Neff & Cooper, 2004)
Children’s age at the time of parental divorce, children’s gender, and length of parental divorce, parental education and employment status, social and emotional support from family and friends, and coping skills may moderate the link between parental divorce and adolescent adjustment
Research showed that adolescents who are exposed to post-divorce parental conflict are at increased risk for high level of delinquency
Summary
Post-divorce parental conflict is characterized by parents’ inability to communicate politely, parental battles, and hostility (Neff & Cooper, 2004). Emery (1999) in his book “Marriage, divorce, and children’s adjustment”, noted that parental conflict following parental divorce is significantly related to externalizing behavior problems in children and adolescents. Sandler et al (2008) studied the relationship between children’s mental health problems and the level of conflict between the parents by using a sample of 182 divorcing families. Conflict between parents affects parents relationship and this may reduce parent-child relationship, and their ability to recognize and respond to children’s emotional needs that may negatively influence child and adolescent functions and behaviors (Kelly, 2000; Amato, 2003; Kelly & Emery, 2003; Guttman & Rosenberg, 2003; Grych, 2005; Bradford et al, 2007; Platt et al, 2008). When parents express their anger and carry their hostile messages, express verbal or physical aggression to each other in presence of the children, their children and adolescents are more likely to be depressed, anxious, and poorly adjusted compared to children and adolescents whose high-conflict parents leave their children out of their anger (Kelly & Emery, 2003; Kelly, 2007)
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