http://journal.
id/index.
php/anterior Systematic Literature Review: The Impact of Divorce on Children's Mental Health Andy Wasono1*.
Mulawarman2*.
Petra Kristi Mulyani3*.
Erny Kumalasari4*.
Muh Azhar Mubarak5*.
Firdian Setiya Arinanta6*.
Moh Anwar Salafudin7* 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 Semarang State University.
Sekaran.
Gunungpati.
Semarang.
Central Java.
Indonesia *email:
andypsikologi@yahoo.
Keywords:
Children.
Divorce.
Marital Dissolution.
Mental Health Abstrak The increase in divorce cases has raised concerns about the psychological well-being of affected children, with the risk of anxiety, depression, and behavioral disorders.
The purpose of this writing is to find out the impact of divorce on children's mental health.
The method used is a systematic literature review using databases from PubMed and ScienceDirect.
The search was carried out using the keywords children, divorce, marital dissolution, mental health.
Article screening used the PRISMA method and 8 articles were found that were in accordance with the research topic.
The results showed that divorce increased the risk of mental problems such as anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, and decreased academic performance.
In addition, children from divorced families face a higher risk of mental disorders.
High parental conflict exacerbates negative effects, while good social and emotional support can reduce those adverse This study highlights the importance of paying special attention to the mental well-being of children post-divorce to prevent adverse long-term effects.
It is hoped that the results of this study can deepen the understanding of the impact of divorce and help develop support strategies for children who have experienced parental divorce, in order to reduce the risk of long-term mental health disorders.
A2025 The Authors.
Published by Institute for Research and Community Services Universitas Muhammadiyah Palangkaraya.
This is Open Access article under the CC-BY-SA License .
ttp://creativecommons.
org/licenses/by-sa/4.
0/).
INTRODUCTION
Parental support for children in the process of adaptation to the physical and social environment has a significant impact on the social development and personality of children (Meng et al.
, 2.
One of the most important factors that determine a child's development is the family.
In the family, parents provide a safe place for psychosocial development, where children learn behaviors as well as moral and ethical principles (TahiroviN & Demir, 2.
In addition, children's mental health is also one of the important aspects of their development, which has a significant effect on life in adulthood (Mulraney et al.
, 2021.
Otto et al.
, 2.
Around the world, children's mental health is getting more and more special attention, given the high incidence of mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and behavioral disorders in children (Laursen et al.
, 2.
One of the factors that is considered to have a big impact on children's mental health is family conditions, especially parental divorce (Caksen, 2.
Divorce has become a growing social phenomenon, especially in countries with high urbanization.
This can have a complex psychological impact on the children involved.
In Indonesia, the divorce rate continues to increase every year.
Based on BPS (Central Statistics Agenc.
data, the number of divorces in the last 3 years has actually increased.
In 2021 there were 447,743 divorce cases.
It increased in 2022 to Andy Wasono.
Mulawarman.
Petra Kristi Mulyani.
Erny Kumalasari,Muh Azhar Mubarak.
Firdian Setiya Arinanta dan Moh Anwar Salafudin.
Systematic Literature Review: The Impact of Divorce on Children's Mental Health 448,126, a decrease in 2023 but higher than in 2021 which was 408,347 cases.
Divorce is often a traumatic experience for children, especially during the child's development (Williams-Owens, 2.
Children face deep emotional disruption, including a sense of loss, confusion, and insecurity.
In more severe cases, divorce can create a tendency to blame oneself or parents, thus exacerbating emotional disorders such as depression or anxiety (Hashemi & Homayuni, 2.
Study conducted by Lange et al.
showed that children from divorces with high conflict may experience post-traumatic stress symptoms.
Additionally, children from divorced families are more prone to experiencing social isolation, which ultimately results in feelings of loneliness, unhappiness, and lower self-esteem (Odis, 2.
On the other hand.
Divorce can also trigger external problems such as juvenile delinquency and substance abuse (Arifansyah et al.
, 2.
Research shows that parental divorce is associated with an increased risk of adjustment problems for children and adolescents, including academic difficulties such as low grades and school dropouts, as well as behavioral and substance use problems (Lee & McLanahan.
This is due to a lack of emotional support and drastic changes in family structure, which create psychological instability in the child (Behere et al.
, 2.
Children who grow up in divorced families tend to face long-term impacts on their mental health.
Longitudinal studies reveal that individuals from divorced families have a greater risk of developing chronic depression, anxiety disorders, and problems in building long-term relationships in adulthood (Chen et al.
, 2.
Factors such as unresolved conflicts or a lack of emotional support post-divorce are the main drivers (Tullius et al.
, 2.
A study found that the lack of stable parental figures and consistent emotional support makes it difficult for individuals from divorced families to manage stress (Lu et al.
, 2.
Divorce creates emotional distance between the child and the parent who does not live with the child full-time, especially if the divorce is preceded by conflict, tension, or domestic violence (Kganyago Mphaphuli, 2.
When parent divorce, children become vulnerable to the development of a wide variety of social, behavioral, and emotional problems .
an der Wal et al.
, 2.
When divorce occurs, children who are in the middle of parental divorce conflicts can feel insecure, confused, and guilty.
Divorced parents create loyalty conflicts in their children and unbearable stress (Stokkebekk et al.
, 2.
Additionally, divorce often leads to significant changes in family structure and dynamics, which can have a direct impact on the psychological well-being of children (Apata et al.
, 2.
Children whose parents are divorced tend to have a higher risk of developing mental health disorders compared to children who come from intact families (Pittelli, 2.
The effects of divorce on a child's mental health can vary, from anxiety and depression to declining academic performance and behavioral problems (D'Onofrio & Emery, 2019.
Tran et al.
, 2.
Children from divorced or separated families are also more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors, live in poverty, and experience instability in their own families (D'Onofrio & Emery, 2.
However, the results of research related to the impact of divorce on children's mental health are still mixed.
Not all children experience significant negative impacts, and some are able to adapt well in post-divorce situations (High et al.
, 2.
Therefore, a systematic literature review is needed to develop a comprehensive and evidence-based understanding of the impact of divorce on children's mental health.
Anterior Jurnal.
Volume 24 Issue II.
Mei 2025.
Page 27 Ae 40 p-ISSN: 1412-1395.
e-ISSN: 2355-3529 The lack of longitudinal research that explores the long-term effects of divorce on children's mental development makes our understanding of the impact of divorce not optimal.
This study is expected to provide a clearer picture of the type and extent of the impact of divorce on children's mental health and the factors that affect their vulnerability or resilience.
With this literature review, it is hoped that more in-depth insights can be obtained to support the psychological well-being of children after parental In addition, the results of this study can be a reference to increase awareness about the importance of mental support for children affected by divorce.
RESEARCH METHODS
Data Search This research method uses a systematic literature review to explore and analyze the impact of divorce on children's mental health.
This literature review aims to bring together the results of research that have been published in international journals accessed from the PubMed and ScienceDirect databases.
The search uses the keywords "divorce" and "mental health" and "marital dissolution" and "children" with inclusion criteria, namely articles published in the last 10 years with the range of 2014-2024, using English, using only research articles, having open access and full text and articles about the impact of divorce on children's mental health.
Meanwhile, the exclusion criteria in this study are articles that discuss the impact of divorce other than on children.
The screening process is carried out using the PRISMA method.
Data Extraction and Findings Reporting Data extraction related to important information such as research methods, samples, findings, and conclusions from each article will be extracted and recorded in a table.
The number of articles found through the PubMed database is 446 articles and 16,188 articles were found from ScienceDirect, bringing the total to 16,634 articles.
After being filtered by issuing articles that are not original research as many as 3,065 articles.
Then, after re-screening, 13,569 articles were obtained which were original research and 9,685 of them met the inclusion criteria.
Furthermore, from the 3,884 articles, 3,807 irrelevant articles and 77 articles were obtained in accordance with the research topic.
Then a screening was carried out to find 4 duplicate articles.
Of the 73 articles, the quality of the study was assessed and then 8 articles were obtained that could be categorized according to the research topic and data extraction could be carried This data extraction was carried out by analyzing data based on the author's name, title, objectives, type of research, data collection method, population and sample, and research results (Table .
screening Andy Wasono.
Mulawarman.
Petra Kristi Mulyani.
Erny Kumalasari,Muh Azhar Mubarak.
Firdian Setiya Arinanta dan Moh Anwar Salafudin.
Systematic Literature Review: The Impact of Divorce on Children's Mental Health PubMed .
= .
Science Direct .
= 16,.
Not a research article .
= 3,.
Number of original research .
= 13,.
Articles excluded due to locked access, no open access, no full text, and not in English .
= 9,.
Number of filtered articles .
= 3,.
Eligibilityeligibility Number of exclusions due to irrelevant .
= 3,.
Number of articles corresponding to the research topic .
= .
Number of duplicates issued .
= .
Number of articles after duplicates are deleted .
= .
Number of articles removed due to inappropriate titles .
= .
Number of articles that have been reviewed and eliminated in accordance with the research topic .
= .
Picture 1.
PRISMA diagram: Systematic stages of literature review Anterior Jurnal.
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e-ISSN: 2355-3529
RESULT
Based on the analysis of the 8 articles that have been determined, it shows that there is a significant impact of divorce on children's mental health.
Table 1.
Article Extraction Results Title/Author/ Year Research Objectives "Association divorce and mental health Lebanese results of a national study" The explore the divorce and its impact on the mental in Lebanon, anxiety, and Sahar Obeid.
Gloria Al Karaki.
Chadia Haddad.
Hala Sacre.
Michel Soufia.
Rabih Hallit.
Pascale Salameh.
Souheil Halli
/2021
"Associations of parental divorce with student mental health and outcomes: A study in rural China" Xiaodong Pang.
Cindy Feng.
Haiping Xue.
Scott This study divorce and the mental health and of students China.
Type of Researc Cross Sectional Study Cross Sectional Study Data Collection Methods Data collected through using the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS).
Adolescent Depression Rating Scale (ADRS), and Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) to suicidal ideation.
Data was collected filled out by 17,955 students in 122 For mental health, the Strengths Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is used hyperactivity, and Population and Number of Samples The population of the study was Lebanese adolescents aged 14 to 17 years.
the 2000 students students .
were willing to The randomly selected involving 16 private The population of the study was junior high school students in rural Ningxia, with a final sample of 17,955 Result This study shows that adolescents with divorced parents experience higher levels of social anxiety, depression, and suicidal adolescents whose parents are still together.
Teens with divorced parents showed more social fear, avoidance, and had significant suicidal The results showed that students with divorced parents had a higher risk of internalizing .
uch as anxiet.
and externalizing .
uch as problems on the SDQ scale, as well as lower math scores compared to students whose parents were not divorced.
Andy Wasono.
Mulawarman.
Petra Kristi Mulyani.
Erny Kumalasari,Muh Azhar Mubarak.
Firdian Setiya Arinanta dan Moh Anwar Salafudin.
Systematic Literature Review: The Impact of Divorce on Children's Mental Health Rozelle.
Huan Wang /2024 "Development al Cascade Models of a Parentingfocused Program for Divorced Families on Mental Health Problems and Substance Use in Emerging Adulthood" Sharlene A Wolchik.
JennYun Tein.
Irwin N Sandler.
HanJoe Kim /2016 "Family dissolution and social wellbeing at school: a historic cohort Line Lund Laursen.
Kathrine Bang Madsen.
Carsten Obel.
Lena Hohwy/2019 "Grandparenta l and overall social support as resilience This study the effects of programs on use among adults who come from Randomiz ntal group The purpose of this study social wellbeing well as to explore how varies based on the age of the child.
The purpose of this study was to test Historical Cross Sectional Study social relationship Data was collected through a series of The study involved 240 children from divorced families, who were between the ages of 9 and The significant results in reducing internalization .
uch anxiety and depressio.
and externalization .
uch as problems in early adulthood, as well as reducing the incidence of binge drinking among young men.
The collection method was carried out hours, where they questions related to their social The population in adolescents aged 9-16 years who Denmark.
The number of samples used in this study is 219,226 children The results showed that children from disbanded families had a higher likelihood of experiencing low social well-being at school compared to children especially for those who dissolution at preschool age.
Using an online self-report survey given in 20152016.
The population in divorced families in Israel.
A sample of This study found that parental conflict is negatively related to the evaluation of children's quality of life.
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factors in coping with conflict among children of Yoa Sorek
/2020
"Impact of divorce versus separation due to migration on mental health and selfinjury of Chinese children: a cross sectional Feng Wang.
Jingjing Lu.
Leesa Lin.
Jingjing Cai.
Jiayao Xu.
Xudong Zhou/2021 "Parental divorce is with an increased risk to develop disorders in p-ISSN: 1412-1395.
e-ISSN: 2355-3529 with support from outside the nuclear their ability from divorce 122 children from The purpose of this study how parental divorce and health and self-harming Cross Sectional Study Data was collected using related to aspects of children's mental health, self-harm thoughts and behaviors (SITB), the quality of communication between parents and adolescents, and psychological The population of students in grades districts in Anhui Province.
The number of samples was 3,983 children This study identify the by children Cross Sectional Study The collection method Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I and II Disorders The population in this study is young women with an average age of 23 The sample was 121 women.
involvement in the conflict tends to decrease various aspects of their quality of life.
In contrast, overall social support, especially from grandparents, is positively evaluation of a child's quality of life.
The findings also support three models in support, both in general and from grandparents, can moderate the impact of children's quality of life.
Children from divorced families showed higher levels lower prosocial behaviors, self-harm The results of this study showed that young adults with divorced parents had a higher risk for Axis I disorder but not for Axis II disorder than young adults with non-divorced parents.
Andy Wasono.
Mulawarman.
Petra Kristi Mulyani.
Erny Kumalasari,Muh Azhar Mubarak.
Firdian Setiya Arinanta dan Moh Anwar Salafudin.
Systematic Literature Review: The Impact of Divorce on Children's Mental Health Violetta K Schaan.
Andry Schulz.
Hartmut Schychinger.
Claus Vygele/2019 "Preventing Mental Health Problems in Children After High Conflict Parental Separation/Div orce Study: An Optimization Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol" Karey L O'Hara.
Sharlene A Wolchik.
Irwin N Sandler.
Stephen G West.
Harry T Reis.
Linda M Collins.
Aaron R Lyon.
E Mark Cummings /2023 The to include in digital coping s to reduce children who are exposed to high levels of parental conflict after Experime .
andomi d tria.
Data was collected using namely the Children's Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale (CPIC).
Caught in the Middle (CIM).
Responses to Stress Questionnaire (RSQ-PIC).
Security in the Interparental Subsystem Scale (SIS-SF).
Coping Efficacy Scale (CES), and Brief Problem Monitor (BPM).
The population in children aged 9-12 A sample of 144 children will be divided into 8 An effective intervention component to reduce mental health problems in children experiencing post-divorce parental conflict.
DISCUSSION
Parental divorce has a significant impact on a child's mental health (Obeid et al.
, 2.
Divorce is considered a form of bad childhood experiences that are a major risk factor that can affect the development of mental health disorders (Money et al.
, 2.
This study highlights several questions related to the impact of divorce on children's mental health.
RQ1: What are the psychological impacts experienced by children after their parents' divorce? Parental divorce often has a significant psychological impact on children.
This is due to the various psychological impacts that children most commonly experience, such as behavioral problems, social fears, social avoidance, depression, suicidal tendencies, anxiety, and stress (O'Hara et al.
, 2023.
Obeid et al.
Anterior Jurnal.
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e-ISSN: 2355-3529 Such anxiety is described as a chaotic state of mind that is often accompanied by nervous behaviors, such as rumination and somatic manifestations (Andrioni et al.
, 2.
In addition, as a traumatic childhood experience, divorce can also be classified as Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE), where this trauma contributes to an increased risk of long-term mental health disorders for children (Enami et al.
, 2.
Divorce can also trigger disturbances in children's psychological development, such as decreased social adaptability and prolonged internal conflicts (Sorek, 2.
Many children experience depression characterized by prolonged feelings of sadness, loss of interest in activities they enjoy, and a tendency to withdraw from social environments (Anderson, 2014.
Anonymous et al.
, 2.
Anger and frustration are also reactions that often arise, if the child feels that the divorce is detrimental to him, especially if the parental conflict is felt to be very intense.
In this situation, it is not uncommon for children to have difficulty building trust in their parents and other people around them, which can affect their interpersonal relationships in the future (Xu, 2.
This psychological impact also often has an impact on children's academic achievement, because they have difficulty focusing and lose motivation to learn due to emotional pressure felt (Arkes, 2.
In addition, cognitive impairments, such as decreased thinking and concentration skills, often appear in children who are caught in prolonged conflict.
This not only hinders their academic achievement but also exacerbates feelings of isolation in the school environment (Pang et al.
, 2024.
Sorek, 2.
The stress that arises from divorce is often exacerbated by a variety of additional factors, such as a change in residence, a decrease in financial support, and changes in family social dynamics.
Studies show that children from divorced families are more likely to experience declining academic performance and face a higher risk of behavioral problems.
These academic and behavioral difficulties are often related to unresolved emotional issues, especially when the child has to adapt to family changes that occur too quickly (Schaana et al.
, 2.
In the long term, children who go through divorce are at greater risk of developing mental health problems in adulthood, such as depression and chronic anxiety.
They also showed difficulty in building stable emotional relationships, due to the experience of the divorce (Wolchik et al.
, 2.
Research has revealed that parental divorce is associated with a higher prevalence of clinicallevel mental health problems during adolescence and early adulthood, with an estimate that 36% of the population is at risk of developing mental health problems in young adulthood (Wolchik et al.
, 2.
Divorce also affects the direct impact on the mental health and physical well-being of children (Pellyn-Elexpuru et al.
, 2.
Prolonged parental conflict has been shown to trigger physical problems, such as hypertension, somatic complaints, and sleep disturbances (Eilers et al.
, 2023.
Miralles et al.
, 2.
This condition is often exacerbated by high levels of emotional stress due to family instability.
In addition, divorce often triggers risky behaviors in children, such as juvenile delinquency or substance abuse, which are often forms of escape from stress (Mwangangi, 2019.
Saladino et al.
, 2.
These impacts are not only emotional but also physical, for example sleep and eating pattern disorders, which can affect overall physical health.
A drastically changed family environment can also reduce children's sense of security and stability (Wu, 2.
, which is an important foundation for their mental health (Open et al.
, 2.
RQ2: Are children who have experienced parental divorce more vulnerable to mental health problems compared to children from whole families? Andy Wasono.
Mulawarman.
Petra Kristi Mulyani.
Erny Kumalasari,Muh Azhar Mubarak.
Firdian Setiya Arinanta dan Moh Anwar Salafudin.
Systematic Literature Review: The Impact of Divorce on Children's Mental Health Divorce not only changes the structure of the family, but it also causes great emotional stress for Especially for those who are highly dependent on the presence and stability of their parents, this pressure can have a significant impact.
In addition, conflicts involving children, such as attempts to influence the child's view of one of the parties, also increase the likelihood of psychological disorders in children.
Children who feel involved in parental conflict often face difficulties in building healthy social relationships.
As a result, they tend to feel isolated and have lower social well-being compared to children from intact families (Laursen et al.
, 2019.
Sorek, 2.
Children from divorced families have a higher susceptibility to mental health problems in For example, they have a greater risk of developing ongoing mental disorders, including depression and anxiety in adulthood (Wolchik et al.
, 2.
In addition, children of divorced parents tend to show more psychological symptoms compared to children from non-divorced families.
These symptoms include a greater risk of depression and anxiety, lower self-esteem, increased avoidance problems, as well as external behavioral problems (Sorek, 2.
Scientific evidence consistently reveals that children from divorced families have a higher risk of developing mental health problems in adulthood.
Empirical studies show that of the 60 adults with divorced parents, 26 of them meet the criteria for mental This indicates that they tend to face an increased risk of mood disorders, anxiety, and In addition, they also have a tendency attachment insecure which is more complex compared to children from whole families (Schaana et al.
, 2.
In fact, risk comparisons show that 65-75% of children from divorced families have the potential to face mental problems, compared to 25-35% of children from intact families (O'Hara et al.
, 2.
Research conducted by Schaan et al.
revealed that individuals from divorced families compared to non-divorced families reported more depression, loneliness, childhood trauma, attachment avoidance, attachment anxiety, chronic stress, as well as a lack of parental attention.
In addition, the effect of divorce on children's mental health is not only limited to that generation, but can also have an impact on the next generation.
Children of divorced parents tend to carry the burden of their childhood experiences into their relationships as adults, job stability, and their mental health outcomes (Apata et al.
On the other hand, socio-economic factors also affect the impact of divorce on children.
For example, the mother's level of education and financial stability also affect the ability of children to adapt to divorce.
For example, mothers who have a higher level of education tend to be better able to provide a stable environment for their children, thus helping to reduce the negative impact of divorce on children's mental well-being (Anderson, 2014.
Enami et al.
, 2.
Overall, the impact of parental divorce on children's mental health is complex and widespread.
These impacts involve a variety of factors, from conflicts between parents to changes in social and economic stability.
Therefore, these long-term effects highlight the importance of giving extra attention to children whose parents are divorced.
CONCLUSION
Parental divorce has a significant influence on a child's mental health.
The most common impacts are anxiety, depression, and emotional instability, which have the potential to increase the risk of mental Anterior Jurnal.
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e-ISSN: 2355-3529 disorders in adulthood.
Children who have experienced parental divorce show a higher risk for behavioral, social, and academic problems.
Prolonged family conflicts often exacerbate negative impacts, especially if children are directly involved in the conflict.
Therefore, further longitudinal research is needed to understand the long-term effects of divorce on children's mental and social development.
Targeted interventions are expected to help children get through difficult times as a result of a divorce and prevent adverse effects in the future.
REFERENCE