Academic performance in children of divorce: psychological resilience and vulnerability

The role of covid‐19 anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty in predicting resilience

Resilience is one of the protective factors for mental health. The aim of this study is to reveal the role of COVID‐19 anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty in predicting resilience in adulthood. To this end, data were collected from 533 adults (359 women‐174 men). A hierarchical regression analysis was performed, controlling for the effects of gender and presence of a chronic disease on the prediction of resilience. Results showed that intolerance of uncertainty and COVID‐19 anxiety were statistically significant predictors of resilience. Gender and presence of a chronic disease were not statistically significant in predicting resilience. These results indicate that intolerance of uncertainty plays an important role in explaining resilience.

Adjustment to Loss among Adolescents

The purpose of the present investigation was to explore the adjustment of adolescents who had experienced the death of a parent relative to those who had experienced parental divorce. A 3 (type of loss: parental death, parental divorce, and control) × 3 (age: early, middle, late) × 2 (gender) Multivariate analysis of covariance with socioeconomic status and social desirability as covariates was performed on the subscales of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL). Main effects for type of loss indicated that the parental death and divorce groups, although not differing from each other, scored significantly higher than the control group on the HSCL subscales of Somatization, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Depression. In contrast, only the parental death group scored significantly higher on the HSCL Interpersonal Sensitivity subscale which measures uneasiness and negative expectations regarding personal communications as well as interpersonal inadequacy and inferiority. These results indicate that parental death and divorce losses impair the intrapersonal adjustment of adolescents. In addition, findings suggest that parental death is unique in that it disturbs perceptions of interpersonal relationships, a fact which may result in isolation and rob adolescents of needed support at a time when relationships with others (e.g., peers, parents, teachers) are critical to adjustment, well-being, and identity development.

Self-efficacy among urban African American early adolescents: Exploring issues of risk, vulnerability, and resilience

Data from the first year of a longitudinal study of 562 African American adolescents were analyzed to examine coping methods and competence outcomes as measured by academic performance (national percentile ranking [NPR] on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills) and academic self-esteem. With resilience conceptualized as adaptive coping, regression analyses were performed to test a model of risk and resilience that takes into account family and neighborhood characteristics, youths' perceptions of their contexts, coping strategies, identity processes, and achievement outcomes. With all measures in the regression model, significant predictors of NPR for males were mother's education and academic self-esteem; predictors for females were mother's education, parental life dissatisfaction, youths' perception of family conflict, and academic self-esteem. Predictors of academic self-esteem for males were mother's education, negative life events, and youths' perception of family conflict; predictors for females were negative life events and youths' perception of family conflicts. The findings indicate that, as adaptive coping responses, both academic self-esteem and academic achievement are responsive to particular protective factors. The authors suggest that prevention and intervention efforts should be sensitive to specific coping methods and abilities that could promote resilient outcomes.

Stability of the sense of coherence in adolescence

The aim of this prospective study was to explore the stability of sense of coherence (SOC) in adolescents from the age of 15 to 18 years.

METHODS

A prospective population-based follow-up study of 1294 first-born children was started in 1986. When the children were 15 (N = 846) and 18 (N = 792) years old, SOC was measured using questionnaires filled out at home.

RESULTS

The mean change in SOC scores (0.10, SD 10.2; in percentages 1.98%, SD 18.4) in the whole sample between the ages of 15 and 18 years was negligible and non-significant (p = .788). At the individual level, some changes were seen in the scores. The SOC scores of boys at the ages of 15 and 18 years were significantly higher than those of girls (mean 65.4 vs. 60.8 and 65.4 vs. 61.7, respectively). The SOC scores of adolescents living with both parents were higher than those with one parent or other guardian (mean 64.5 vs. 59.9), and the difference was significant in both age groups (p < .001).

CONCLUSION

Contrary to assumptions made in Antonovsky's theory, we found no significant change in SOC between the ages of 15 to 18 years, and coherence stability did not depend on the initial SOC. Some fluctuation in SOC scores was seen at the individual level. For planning of interventions, it is important to know that SOC seems to be reasonably stabilized before the age of 15 years.

Children of divorce in the 1990s: an update of the Amato and Keith (1991) meta-analysis

The present study updates the P. R. Amato and B. Keith (1991) meta-analysis of children and divorce with a new analysis of 67 studies published in the 1990s. Compared with children with continuously married parents, children with divorced parents continued to score significantly lower on measures of academic achievement, conduct, psychological adjustment, self-concept, and social relations. After controlling for study characteristics, curvilinear trends with respect to decade of publication were present for academic achievement, psychological well-being, self-concept, and social relations. For these outcomes, the gap between children with divorced and married parents decreased during the 1980s and increased again during the 1990s.

Adolescents From Families of Divorce: Vulnerability to Physiological and Psychological Disturbances

Multiple factors contribute to the vulnerability of adolescents to physiological and psychological disturbances following parental divorce. These include father absence, interparental conflict, economic distress, multiple life stressors, parent adjustment, and short-term crisis. Clinical and societal problems manifested in these vulnerable adolescents are discussed. Systems theory is used to explain this vulnerability of adolescents and to identify appropriate interventions and policies to promote health in this population. Policies recommended include required divorce mediation, early referrals for family and sibling therapy, and school programs to identify and support those most vulnerable.

The trait and process of resilience

Resilience is the ability of people to 'spring back' in the face of adversity. It is an important concept for nurses as we endeavour to assist individuals to meet the challenges of living with illness and ageing. Researchers from many disciplines in both the social and health sciences have investigated resilience of individuals throughout the life cycle in a variety of situations related to health as well as other life events. Some researchers have investigated resilience as a trait of individuals while other view resilience as a process. This article reviews the current literature on resilience from many disciplines and discusses implications for nursing practice and research.