Aim To determine an impact of parental divorce to depression and intimate relationships of young people during adolescence, and prevalence of symptoms of depression and the level of intimacy in relations to adolescents living in intact families and those from divorced families. Methods This prospective descriptive research was conducted on a sample of 168 examinees of which 64 (38.1%) were students of the University Zenica, and 104 (61.9%) high students schools from Zenica and Maglaj cities during May and June 2011. Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI) II, Miller Social Intimacy Scale and sociodemographic questionnaire were used. Results Adolescents from divorced families had statistically significantly higher level of depression (p<0.05), with moderate and severe depression found in 20 (24.69%) adolescents from divorced families as compared with six (6.89%) adolescents from intact families. An analysis of BDI-II scale showed that adolescents from divorced families had statistically significant difference in agitation (p< 0.01), difficult concentration, suicidal thoughts, grief and pessimism (p<0.05). Conclusion It is necessary to carry out detailed studies on longterm effects of breakup of families due to divorce, which have negative implications on psychological and social functioning of adolescents and the development of their identity and closeness in intimate relationships, with a legislative introduction of premarital and marriage counseling for parents in the conflict.
Amato P. The impact of family formation change on the cognitive, social, and emotional well-being of the next generation. Future Child 2005:75–96.
2
Cui M, Fincham F. The differential effects of parental divorce and marital conflict on young adult romantic relationships. Personal Relationships 2010:331–43.
3
Benson M, Buehler C, Gerard J. Interparental hostility and early adolescent problem behavior spillover via maternal acceptance, harshness, inconsistency, and intrusiveness. J Early Adolesc 2008:428–54.
4
Finger B, Eiden R, Edwards E, Leonard K, Kachadourian L. Marital aggression and child peer competence: A comparison of three conceptual models. Personal Relationships 2010:357–76.
5
Bradbury T, Karney B. Understanding and altering the longitudinal course of marriage. J Marriage Fam 2004:862–79.
6
Flowerdew J, Neale. Trying to stay apace: children with multiple challenges in their post-divorce family lives. Childhood 2003:147–61.
7
Guttmann J, Rosenberg M. Emotional intimacy and children’s adjustment: A comparison between single-parent divorced and intact families. Educational Psychology 2003:457–72.
8
Sinclair S, Nelson E. The impact of parental divorce on college students’ intimate relationships and relational beliefs. J Divorce Remarriage 1998:103–29.
9
Jones G, Dembo M. Age and sex role differences in intimate friendships during childhood and adolescence. Merrill-Palmer Q 1989:445–62.
10
Kirk A. The effects of divorce on young adults’ relationship competence: the influence of intimate friendships. J Divorce Remarriage 2002:61–89.
11
Mackay R. The impact of family structure and family change on child outcomes: a personal reading of the research literature. Social Policy J N Z 2005:111–33.
12
Peterson A, Sarigiani P, Kennedy R. Adolescent depression: Why more girls? J Youth Adolesc 1991:247–71.
13
Twenge J, Nolen-Hoeksema S. Age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, and birth cohort differences on the Children’s Depression Inventory: a metaanalysis. J Abnorm Psychol 2002:578–88.
14
Wallerstein J. Growing up in the divorced family. Clinical Social Work 2006:401–17.
15
Strohschein L. Parental divorce and child mental health trajectories. J Marriage Fam 2005:1286.
16
Hook M, Gerstein L, Detterich L, Gridley B. How close are we? Measuring intimacy and examining gender differences. J Couns Dev 2003:462–72.
17
Miller R, Lefcourt H. The assessment of social intimacy. J Pers Assess 1982:514–8.
18
Beck A, Steer R, Brown G. Manual for the Beck Depression Inventory-II 1996.
19
Winstock Z, Sherer M, Enosh G. The effect of divorce on personal and familial images: the adolescent’s perspective. J Child Custody 2004:19–35.
20
Crawford T, Cohen P, Midlarsky E, Brook J. Internalizing symptoms in adolescents: gender differences in vulnerability to parental distress and discord. J Res Adolesc 2001:95–118.
21
Donald M, Dower J, Correa-Velez I, Jones M. Risk and protective factors for medically serious suicide attempts: a comparison of hospital-based with population-based samples of young adults. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2006:87–96.
22
Størksen I, Roysamb E, Holmen T, Tambs K. Adolescent adjustment and well-being: effects of parental divorce and distress. Scand J Psychol 2006:75–84.
23
Fagan P, Rector R. The effects of divorce on America. The Herritage Foundation 2000;(1373).
24
Amato P. Children of divorce in the 1990s: an update of the Amato and Keith (1991) meta-analysis. J Fam Psychol 2001:355–70.
25
Richardson S, Mccabe M. Parental divorce during adolescence and adjustment in aarly adulthood. Adolescence 2001:467–89.
The statements, opinions and data contained in the journal are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publisher and the editor(s). We stay neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
