Role of Parental divorce in the psychological functioning of adolescents in North West Province, South Africa

Abstract

This study focused on adolescents going through parental divorce from the black and the coloured communities of South Africa in Mafikeng, in the North West Province. In this study, the individual adolescent is seen as from ages 13 to 21 years. In exploring the role of parental divorce on the Psychological functioning of the adolescents involved, a qualitative research method was used and a phenomenological design followed. Thirteen adolescents from divorced families, 6 males and 7 females were sampled and participated in this study. The average age at the time of divorce was 9 years old while the average maximum time since divorce took place was 17 years. All the 13 participants were individually interviewed. Themes and sub-themes were derived from the findings. The principal outcome of the study was that the participants had different pre-divorce experiences and therefore unique disturbances on their psychological functioning followed. Although the study disclosed some psychological disturbances, most of the participants have reflected some kind of adjustments through resilience. In this study, resilience was measured as the capacity to deal with change and continue to develop the power or ability to return to the original form or position, after facing some challenges that may have caused some damage in one's life. Some participants decided to focus more on positive circumstances that made them feel better despite the situation. This study will, hopefully, contribute in developing recommendations that will assist counsellors to ensure implementation of the support strategies and support groups to adolescents of divorced parents.