Divorce/Divorce Potential and Interparental Conflict: The Relationship to Early Adolescent Social and Cognitive Functioning

Abstract

In the present study early adolescent social and cognitive performance was examined as a function of interparental conflict, divorce potential, and divorce. Fifty-six 11-15 year old adolescents served as subjects. Mothers completed measures of interparental conflict and, for those who were married, divorce potential. Adolescents and their social study teachers completed measures of social and cognitive functioning. Each adolescent's grade point average was also calculated. A series of 2x3 analyses of covariance with two between-subject factors (conflict: low and high; marital status/divorce potential: married with low divorce potential, married with high divorce potential, and divorced) revealed no significant effects on adolescent-completed measures. Teacher-completed measures and grade point average, however, indicated that the adolescents in the Divorced/High Conflict group were functioning less well than those in the other groups. Divorce potential did not significantly impact adolescent functioning. The results were discussed in terms of adolescents' perceptions of their functioning and in terms of divorce and interparental conflict serving as stressors.