Original scientific paper

Support from family and friends as factor in chilndre's adjustment to parental divorce

Gordana Buljan Flander ; Child Protection Center of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Domagoj Štimac ; Child Protection Center of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Renata Ćorić Špoljar orcid.org/0000-0002-3737-6365 ; Child Protection Center of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the moderating effect of support from family and friends in children’s adjustment to parental divorce. Anxiety and self-esteem questionnaires as well as scales of support from family and friends were applied to 79 children aged 9 to 15, from 63 families in Croatia. Results showed that children of
divorced parents with higher levels of family support had significantly higher levels of self-esteem and significantly lower levels of anxiety than children of divorced parents who had lower levels of family support. They also showed that children of divorced parents who had higher levels of support from friends had levels of self-esteem and
anxiety similar to children of divorced parents who had lower levels of support from friends. Family support and support from friends moderately correlate. Children who received more family support had more support from friends, too. Correlations between family support and support from friends with self-esteem were also significant.
Higher levels of support corresponded with higher self-esteem. There was negative correlation between self-esteem and anxiety.
This study offers partial insight into the characteristics of divorced parents’ children and an opportunity to better understand and improve practical work with children and families who have the experience of divorce.

Keywords

parental divorce; family and friends support; children’s adjustment

Hrčak ID:

167455

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/167455

Publication date:

16.12.2013.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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