Ignite Presentation - 5 minutes International Positive Psychology Association 8th IPPA World Congress 2023

Mental health challenges, internalizing and externalizing behavior problems,academic challenges among adolescents from a broken family. (#85)

Fadzai FM Munyuki 1
  1. University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, GOTEBORG, Sweden

Background

Marriage is an institution that has been facing multitudinous challenges in history and numerous people end up getting into divorce which affects the well- being of their children. Amato( 2012) says that divorce has a great impact on children who are below the legal age of 18 who are caught up in the middle of the fights. Adolescents includes those between 14- 17 times who are just starting to learn major life capabilities similar as managing feelings and all the changes going on in their bodies during this stage, developing a healthy life, concern about future career prospects, dealing with peer groups, dealing with family dynamics, learning interpersonal communication among numerous other life capabilities they have to develop as well as issues that are dealt with at this particular stage( Agochiya, 2010).

Aims

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects that parental divorce has on the emotional, intellectual and mental well being of adolescents .According to Ackerman (2006), both cooperative and adversarial divorce is harmful to adolescents.

Method

A cross sectional study will be conducted for 4 months between January to April. 1840 participants will be employed to carry out the study and this study will also be done by parents and adolescents. A simple randomization method will be used to choose schools.

Results

Parental divorce is positively associated with mental health challenges, internalizing and externalizing behavior problems as well as low academic perfomamce, among adolescents

Conclusion

Parental divorce is hypothesized to be positively associated with mental health challenges ,internalizing and externalizing behaviors and low academic GPA, so this information will be useful to  parents that have or are undergoing divorce. This could also make them pay more attention to the needs of the children at school and also plan extra activities for them . School counselors can also help with ensuring positive development among the children.

  • Please select up to 3 keywords from the following list to best describe your submission content: Family, Mental Illness, Resilience and Posttraumatic Growth