Association Between Parental Divorce and Anger, Aggression, and Hostility in Adolescents: Results of a National Lebanese Study

Abstract

To evaluate the association between divorce and aggression patterns (physical and verbal aggression and hostility) in Lebanese adolescents. This cross-sectional study enrolled 1810 (90.5%) students (January–May 2019) using a proportionate random sample of participants aged 12–17 years, drawn from private schools of all Lebanese districts. Parental divorce was significantly associated with more physical and verbal aggression and anger and hostility in adolescents. Significantly higher adjusted means of physical aggression (32.53 vs. 31.32; p = .013), verbal aggression (19.00 vs. 17.73; p < .001), anger (26.10 vs. 23.43; p < .001), and hostility (29.68 vs. 26.73; p < .001) were found among adolescents whose parents are divorced. Verbal and physical aggression, anger, and hostility were more shown in adolescents whose parents were divorced compared to adolescents whose parents are non-separated. Therefore, divorced parents must be motivated to provide their children with social, economic, and psychological needs to overcome these negative behaviors.